Calithilel (ThranduilxOC)
by Moonlight Starlove
Summary: Silver Parker and her faithful dog, Sparkles, die when camping. The Valar saves them and send them to Middle-Earth. She is gifted as Calithilel and get 500 years to get used to her elven body while living in Lórien, as new daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn. She joins the company and their quest, and while grieving in Mirkwood for a friend, she also meets the Elvenking.-Complete
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone who decided to click on this story :) I'm so excited since I'm finally posting this!**

 **First of all, I do not own _The Hobbit_ or _The Lord of the Rings_. Second, this fanfic/story has been on my mind for quite some time and I wrote this first part ages ago, but did not go further with it. Anyway, I finally did decide to do it and take a chance, woohoo. _Warning_ : I'm following the movies (I felt it would be a little easier and cover the most important. I do have the books, but I might be a little too lazy at times, hehe. Also I do not have any sort of extended versions of the movies, sadly). So yes, I'm following the movies to some extent. Where Calithilel is so is the story. **

**It's an OC x Thranduil fic, so I won't focus all too much on the dwarves and building many relationships with them if that is what you like.**

 **This start and chapter is about 3,900 words. I like to have a chap at least 2,000words, so it should always be over that no matter what. Also, whatever info about the Vala and elves and so on… I've been doing research on the lotr wiki, hehe, so if something is not right, well it is fanfiction and anything can happen ;) So we just go with it.**

 **Now, if you don't like it, don't read it. If you don't like the idea, don't read it, simple. Any sort of negativity will be ignored for it is simple to just exit a page if you don't like what you read.**

 **Speech in this chap:** _"The Valar speaks to her inside her head"_

 _"Elvish speaking"_

"Normal"

 _Thoughts go like this, as well when Lady Galadriel speaks inside Calithilel's head._

 **I hope you will enjoy! R &R!**

* * *

Elves only loved once. They found their chosen, their one, their mate, once, or so the king thought. The reason for only loving once was simple. To only have one love and share that love together, once. A reason that an _ellon_ (male elf) could not have any other partner but their chosen and so an _elleth_ (female elf) could not be taken against her will. She would fade before it even happened, saving her the grief and letting her in peace in the Undying Lands. Of course an _elleth_ could neither take on another partner before mating, but that was the point, was it not? So the king found himself confused when he looked upon the _elleth_ who seemed to be his second chosen. He did not believe it possible. No such stories had ever been made that any elves at all found love twice. No, only once. Even married elves who were not really true mates could not bind themselves to their real love when found. It was simply the rule of their nature, what the Valar had decided. So how come that this _elleth_ was his?

She was not even looking at him as she was led in together with a group of dwarves. She was looking around in wonder. Then, as the other dwarves were taken away and she and the so-called King Under the Mountain stood left, first then, she looked up. Her eyes were like the strangest of jewels, sparkling in different clear colors. Her dark purple hair that was in one braid behind her, made it so much easier to see her face clearly. At first when her eyes met his, hers widened and a hand shot up to hold in front of her heart as if she felt pained and she grimaced. Then as if realizing what she was doing, her hand fell and she frowned upon the king. She seemed to breathe heavily, although she hid it well, just not well enough.

A guard came forward with a letter and he took it with caution. It was a letter from the Lady Galadriel herself, claiming that the _elleth_ in front of him was her daughter. She had taken her in and trained her before she sent her on the quest. The quest she would not reveal. The last thing she mentioned was that her new daughter came from another world after she died there, and now she was blessed as an elf.

The King of the Greenwood spoke to Thorin, but it was clear that the dwarf did not want to cooperate with his suggestion and he ordered his guards to send him to the dungeons, however, to let the _elleth_ stay. She glared at him and finally her lips parted. "I will go where he goes," she said with an icy tone.

The king raised his brows. What was it with this female? He felt a pull towards her and cautiously he took a step in her direction, she took one back and away from him. Then, all of a sudden, three of his guards tried to apprehend her, but she was not slow to respond. She bowed down and suddenly she held two daggers. One in each hand and she fought without thought. The king could only watch in amazement as she defeated his guards quickly. She stood then, staring at him. "I will walk myself after, Thorin. Thank you." And with that she turned on her heels and disappeared after two of his guards.

Amusement filled him as he looked at his guards on the floor. She was something else indeed, and her name yet unknown as the dwarves seemed to keep quiet as well.

His son entered the throne room as he was on his way to sit down again and think of the new female in his dungeons. With a quiet sigh he turned once more and walked down the steps to greet his son. "I do not trust the _elleth_ ," Legolas said.

"Neither do I," Thranduil answered and smiled.

"I do not understand."

"The choices of the Valar and what they send us will always be a mystery, but that the _elleth_ is only a little over 500 years is maybe more disturbing. She fights as if she has lived much longer and she fights better than the Lady Galadriel with daggers. Who is she to come on a quest with the dwarves?" His eyes were narrowed as he stared down the halls where the _elleth_ had disappeared. If she was his chosen, she would come around and she would listen to him, and if not… Well, he had not thought about that.

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

Calithilel (Moon Light) or former Silver Parker, was a woman of twenty-four years and with work in a bookshop she enjoyed every day as she could always read. She had recently once more finished The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings since she saw them as her favorites and would not give it much thought in her nearest future. Just as she was about to open a new book another customer came into the bookshop and with a small sigh she stood and asked if the female in question needed any help. No, she was just looking. Silver sat down once more and opened her book, ready to start the first chapter. A `thud´ made her look up and on the desk, in front of her stood the woman, waiting to pay for the book she had chosen.

The days would pass and she did not give much thought to the world around her. Her phone rang in the middle of a chapter and she was tempted to throw the damned thing out the window. She gritted her teeth and answered. It was her sister. Her really annoying sister who always tried to make her date, though she never understood that Silver liked to be alone, and content with her dog. She enjoyed it very much. She was free to do whatever she wanted and she did not have to think about one of the male species waiting for her to cook or clean. Of course she did those things, but for herself and at her own pace. She packed her large backpack, the most needed when being outside in the woods and some few books, grabbing The Hobbit once more. _It cannot hurt to read it again,_ she thought softly.

Her doorbell rang and with a frown she made her way over to the door. She opened and then nearly kicked the door closed again. Her sister had set her up and she gritted her teeth.

"Can I help you?" she asked sharply and flipped her brown hair.

He seemed to get lost in her eyes like so many others and she wanted to punch him.

"Y-your si-sister-" He was stuttering like a fool.

"I'm not interested!" She smacked the door shut and held her ear against the door, listening for steps to fade away.

After ten minutes of calming herself down she got dressed for the outside. She called on her bearded collie, Sparkles (a name she had not chosen herself as the male dog was adopted) and he came running, happy to go out. "Oh, I almost forgot," she muttered and hurried to find two of his brushes. His fur needed care every day, but she loved it, and Sparkles did too.

The two of them walked a great distance to their usual camping place when they went out together. She raised the tent while Sparkles ran around in the woods surrounding them. She made a small bonfire and got out her teapot. "Sparkles!" she yelled. "I'm going for fresh water!" she added, because she knew he understood. It was strange how the animal listened to her as if all she said had a meaning and he got every word. Sparkles came running up by her side and then walked calmly by her. "Hey there," she said happily and petted his head with her free hand.

By a small stream, she filled her pot and also an extra bottle that she had brought. When she was back at the camp she looked through her stuff just to find her phone missing, much to her satisfaction. _Now I won't hear that annoying thing,_ she thought smug, and started to make dinner for her and Sparkles.

The darkness was not the worst of the trip. The rain started to pour, so Silver and Sparkles had to hide inside the tent with their heated dinner and water. Soon the thunder came as well and Silver started to regret forgetting her phone, just in case something were to happen. Sparkles laid as close to the middle of the tent as possible, scared of the loud `booms´. The candle inside the metal lantern she had brought lit up the little space and it was enough for her to read. However, the light itself made her sleepy and she came to realize that her flashlight laid beside her phone on the table at home. With one last blink she saw it flash outside, and then it was dark.

* * *

The light against her eyes made it impossible for her to open them. She struggled to feel her body and tried to open her eyes. They would not listen.

"You are safe child." The voice calmed her down. The powerful voice belonged to a male and she briefly wondered how old he was since he called her child.

She then tried to move her lips so she could speak, but she was unable to do so and she felt herself get upset.

"I am Manwë, I know you have heard of me in your world," the voice said again.

 _Is this a joke?_ she thought and briefly remembered when her sister had dressed up as an elf to make fun of her.

"The other Vala and I saved you and your companion after your souls left your bodies. You are spirits, resting, waiting for a new awakening. I am the one with you now as to tell you of what will come. You will be given the body of an elf. You will still be you." He had noticed her uneasiness. "You will be a little taller. Pointed ears of course. Your tan will be gone." He chuckled. "Ah, your hair will be different." He noticed her spirit was in distress. "Do not fear. It will be longer and dark purple."

 _Dark purple?_ she thought shocked.

"Sparkles will come with you. He shall stay the same, except for one purple streak in his fur and his years will go back to his youth. You will have powers."

 _This must be a dream! A fanfiction of Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit in a dream come true! It's not real… But why not? Did I not always say that we never know what's out there? Then again, I do not think I ever thought of something like this to happen either. Powers he said? He's not real, right?_

"Your connection to the animals have always been strong, and those senses will intensify in Middle-Earth." He tilted his head looking at the spirit who was louder than she knew. "I've also given you a small gift of the winds. The wind will aid you when you are in great need."

 _Because I'm planning to put myself in danger? Puh, no thank you._

"You know I am aware of what you think." It seemed to shut her up. "As the last gift. The gift of life. Yavanna want you to help the earth where it is sick, as long as it is in your powers to do so. Your presence alone will let a sick plant flourish into a healthy one."

 _Why is he the only one talking to me?_

"I am the king of the Valar," he answered her.

 _My hair will be purple,_ she thought once more. Shocked. _How can an elf have purple hair_?

"That is our mistake. The wind element took hold of you in a color, and I managed to pull almost all of it away except your hair. I must apologize for that."

 _He-he's apologizing. I did not see that one coming. What about the earth thingie from Yavanna?_

"Ah, yes, you have a streak of green and brown beside each other underneath your hair. Do not worry, it will not spread, I can feel your fret." He looked down at the new body beside him of a female elf. _She will have enough to do_ , he thought to himself. "It is time to send you to the intended time and place. The Lady Galadriel is expecting you, Calithilel."

Darkness. Once more it was dark. She had a feeling of falling. The feeling itself felt never ending and the nervous thoughts entered her mind. _I'm not even a fighter. Sure, I took some archery lessons when I was really young, because of my father, but that's like… ages ago!_

" _Fear not_ _,"_ she heard a woman in her head. _"_ _We will be with you all the way and watch over you_ _."_

Though the voice was comforting to an extent it was not explained that she would feel the impact upon the ground. She heard a familiar bark after the air was knocked out of her. "Sparkles," she breathed. Her voice sounded like music chimes and she froze for a moment. No, she decided, it was still her voice.

Sparkles barked again and she blinked. Above her she saw the stars glittering on the sky and the moon shone brightly.

 _Welcome, Calithilel, we've been awaiting your arrival,_ she heard in her head, and carefully she tried to sit up, but without luck. _Your body is still weak as it is new. Do not fret, my child. Lothlórien is your home now and you will be my daughter._

* * *

Calithilel had 500 years to get used to her elven body, and all those years Sparkles was with her. Every time he would get close to old age, he went back to being a puppy and always her faithful friend. Do not mistake, he could die, though he had never left the woods. Even when Calithilel joined the ranks to become a marchwarden, Sparkles was not allowed to follow.

Lady Galadriel had been true to her word and she did indeed see Calithilel as her daughter. She had personally trained her for a long time until she was certain her new daughter could manage on her own.

Archery was Haldir's job. Though the young Calithilel had been a bit difficult in the start, she warmed up to the familiar feel of the bow in her hands. And eventually she found a friend in Haldir.

Lord Celeborn also saw Calithilel as a daughter, just as his wife had told him he would, and he was determined to train with her as well. He knew that his newest daughter struggled with the sword, as she preferred her daggers above everything. However, she became decent with the years and could hold her own if needed.

The years seemed to pass fast and Calithilel felt at loss at times in this new world. After so many years she had yet to meet her chosen, if he was even out there, and she wondered if he even existed. Her mother in this new life had told her that the time would come and she would eventually meet him. She was not sure though if she wanted to anymore. She grew fond of the woods in Lórien and could not imagine leaving it. Though slaying orcs that came close to the borders became old, it was simply what she had become used to. Maybe Galadriel had made that mistake, not letting her leave in her early years for adventure. Nevertheless, Calithilel had to get used to her new body and new life as an elf and no one could make a mistake so they would lose her before her time.

She had seen it in her mirror. It was almost time. As Galadriel went to look for her daughter she found her far away thoughts. It was a book from her old planet called The Hobbit, and the book itself intrigued the lady far more than she thought it should have. It seemed though that her daughter was a lot with memory loss, as she could not remember all events, except that she did not like the ending for the dwarves. The thought made her raise a brow. For why in the world would her daughter suddenly think of them? She had never even seen one.

Calithilel sighed as she closed yet another elvish book. High up in the tree on a day off, she found herself more and more confused. Was she not supposed to do anything more than being held in Lórien? Not that it was entirely against her will, but her soul still had human traits and she longed for adventure. Sparkles barked once from down below the tree and she looked down to see her mother. Galadriel briefly greeted the male dog and then she looked up in the tree.

 _Will you not come down, Calithilel?_ she asked inside of her head.

 _Why should I when I can enjoy the closeness of the trees?_ she asked back.

Galadriel smiled softly. " _It is time, my dear._ "

" _Time for what?_ " she asked back and raised both her brows.

 _Come down and I shall tell you_.

The temptation was too great and in the end Calithilel climbed down. She hugged her mother and then motioned for Sparkles to follow as they started to walk arm in arm.

"I will let you look into my mirror now."

Calithilel stopped. "No," she breathed.

Galadriel stared at her daughter with surprise.

"I cannot, mother. I deeply apologize, but the mirror is not for me."

They continued their walk in silence while Galadriel searched her daughter's thoughts. It was clear as day. Her daughter did not want the mirror to determine a path for her. She wanted to make her own decisions and not be ruled by what she might see.

Celeborn met his two dearest females as they made their way up towards him. His daughter hugged him tight and then she retreated with her dog following happily. " _Why is she so quiet?_ "

" _She did not look in the mirror,_ " Galadriel answered and her husband looked at her surprised.

" _She has a mind of her own,_ " he said and smiled.

" _She certainly does._ "

Calithilel wandered the woods with Sparkles close to her. At one point she started to run as her mind did not need too much of rest. _So long, and I'm still not used to sleeping so little, it leaves me a bit…hmm…feeling short of breath? Perhaps…_

Sparkles started to growl and she looked up just in time to stop her run in front of a gray-cloaked person. "Who are you?" she asked surprised and drew her sword.

"Calm down, Calithilel." Haldir's voice made her relax and she stared at his form behind the older man. "This is Gandalf."

"Gandalf," she said slowly as if she tried to remember, and then her eyes lit up. "Oh! Gandalf!" She laughed. "Of course! I apologize for being so hasty," she then added and grinned at the wizard in front of her.

"It would seem I am at loss for words," the gray wizard said in surprise as he stared at the grinning _elleth_ in front of him.

* * *

Calithilel had packed her things while feeling excited for this quest Gandalf had spoken of. Although he had been vague and was mainly stopping by on his way towards the Shire, her mother and father had approved. She was meant to go on this quest. _And I'll finally meet dwarves and hobbits!_ she thought happily. "What do you think Sparkles?" she asked her dog and looked him in the eyes. He was as excited as she was, if not even more for now he could explore the land outside the woods as well, and the new places. "I know boy, it's strange, but we'll manage." Sparkles barked in a light way, agreeing with her.

The departure from Lórien was not all too heavy on Calithilel's heart as she sat upon a beautiful horse, ready to travel.

"What did you name her?" Celeborn asked.

"Starlight," she answered.

"Starlight?"

"Yes, it feels-" She seemed to think for a moment. "-normal," she then finished and grinned. "I have Sparkles and Starlight; I think that is well enough."

"And you absolutely had to give him that cut?" Celeborn asked, looking at the dog with now short fur. It was a little curly.

"It will grow out again." She smiled. "It's also easier for travelling."

Galadriel nodded with a small smile. _Keep that cloak close at all times my dear daughter, and we shall see each other soon again._

" _Until we meet again_ ," Calithilel whispered and turned her horse ready to leave.

Gandalf had already said his goodbyes to the lord and the lady, and after her final departing words, the two of them started their journey to the Shire. As the two picked up their pace, Sparkles ran right after keeping up easily with the two horses.

 _Thank you…_ she once thought and looked up at the starlit sky.

She woke up in a soft bed after a long journey. She knew she had only rested for some few hours when Sparkles licked her face. "Good morning to you too," she whispered and sat up to pet him. The small hobbit inn served as a nice resting place before the `big day´ as she called it inside her head. She was not supposed to show up at Bilbo Baggins' place before it was closer to dark. She let Sparkles out so he could relieve himself and she sat quietly in the room, looking out at the busy hobbits. Her excitement shone in her eyes, but she did not dare to go out. _I need to stick to the plan_. Sparkles came running in again through her open door. Quietly she made her way over and closed it again. She sat on the floor by the window once more and simply rested. _So today the famous journey will start, well, at least famous from my old world_. She `hmm-ed´ and closed her eyes.

Startled she opened her eyes and listened to the sounds around her. She had barely noticed the time flee and once more she let Sparkles out as she started to make a French braid from her old world. When she finished she tied it tightly and looked at herself in the mirror. She could not see her own glow, but her eyes stood out even in this world. A faint breeze went through the room and she looked towards the door. _"_ _Follow the wind, my child_ _."_ Manwë's familiar voice rang through her head and she arose. She paid the hobbit lady of the inn and then followed the wind, which seemed to give her small pushes each time she was tempted to stop in front of a hobbit's home. Finally she saw a door with a mark. _No he didn't!_ she thought and wanted to laugh.

She raised her hand once to knock.

"No! I do not want to see another-" He stopped his ramblings from inside when he laid eyes upon her. "You're not a dwarf!"

"I'm certainly not!" she answered with a smile.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **-Moonlight Starlove**


	2. Chapter 2

**This chap is about 2,100words. I also forgot to mention that since I'm following the movies, Tauriel will also be in this fic, but there will be no sort of romance between her and Legolas, since if they had been true mates they would have known long ago ;) Anyway, I'm so happy to see the response to this so far and it really boosts me to continue ;D Last warning, if you don't like, don't read. The first chapter hints enough for how the future chaps will go. Now we start with the movies in the picture too ;)**

 **Now on with the story. R &R! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2:**

Calithilel stepped inside the hobbit hole, and not to hit her head, she had to bow down. Sparkles was cautiously walking in and almost right inside he laid down to keep watch over the door. It sounded like a merry bunch of dwarves had already gathered and had it not been for Gandalf being there as well, she would have walked out again.

"Calithilel!" Gandalf greeted her.

"Am I late?" she asked confused, looking at all the dwarves that were gathered around the food.

"Not at all. We are one dwarf short."

"Ah, good. I seemed to lose track of time." She nearly blushed and smiled shyly.

Gandalf then took it upon himself to introduce her to the company, though her presence was clearly not wanted, after all she was an elf. Fíli and Kíli introduced themselves to her and she smiled in gratitude, at least they did not seem to mind. She sat down a little from the group, mainly observing and now and then several of the dwarves would look her way. She was not supposed to be there.

"Whose dog is this?" Kíli's surprised voice made her smile.

"Mine. Sparkles, say hi to Kíli," she told the dog, who in turn lifted one paw up.

"His fur is so short!"

She nodded. "Well, we had to get rid of his long fur. Easier to keep him clean that way when you travel." Almost right after she said that, the plates started to fly and a merry song started. She tried to keep out of the way while she looked at a stuttering Bilbo.

She went to sit again. The doorbell rang.

Gandalf looked up. "He is here."

Gandalf went to open the door.

 _That's Thorin,_ she thought. _He looks a bit like in the movies, but at the same time he doesn't. How strange._

"Gandalf," Thorin started. "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. I wouldn't have found it at all had it not been for that mark on the door." He came further into the room.

"Mark?" Bilbo asked. "There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago."

"There is a mark. I put it there myself," Gandalf said, looking at the hobbit. "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company: Thorin Oakenshield."

"So…" Thorin started, stepping closer to Bilbo. "…this is the hobbit. Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?" He was walking past him and around.

"Pardon me?"

"Ax or sword? What's your weapon of choice?"

"Well, I do have some skill at conkers, if you must know…" Thorin stopped in front of him again. "…but I fail to see why that's relevant."

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

Calithilel frowned and Sparkles went up to Bilbo. "Good boy," she whispered as he seemed to cheer him up a bit.

Thorin turned and then saw her. A look of anger masked him. "What is an _elf_ doing here?" he asked, voice raised.

"Now, now Thorin," Gandalf said. "Calithilel is here because of me."

"Fear not. I have no interest in gold or jewels, simply the adventure," she said and tilted her head.

"She's a female," Thorin gritted out. " _And_ an elf!"

"It would not be wise to deny one the Valar has sent. Before she came to this world, the Valar blessed her with three gifts."

"Gandalf, I think I can speak for myself." She pressed her lips into a thin line and then she said, "I have two longer daggers that I prefer to fight with, my skill is also best with those. Then the bow is a good weapon as well. I manage the sword, but it is not preferred. I can hold my own in a fight."

Gandalf smiled. "She lived in Lothlórien and was trained by the Lady of Light herself. Calithilel is even better than her mother with daggers."

"What is this quest to you?" Thorin asked and looked her up and down.

"Like I said, an adventure. I want to help you as much as I can until you reclaim the mountain."

"Calithilel has knowledge of the future of this quest," Gandalf said.

"You're a seer?" Thorin asked with a raised brow.

"No. That is a story for another day."

"Balin, give her a contract!" He muttered, but his voice told her how grumpy he was.

 _Oh my…_ she thought and was tempted to roll her eyes.

The dwarves turned to walk in with Thorin, but Balin stood left. "I must apologize my Lady, but as of right now I do not have an extra contract. I can write one on the way."

"It's alright Balin, thank you. By the way, Calithilel is fine." She smiled warmly at the dwarf and then proceeded to follow him.

She sat once more a little apart from the rest of the group, after all she could hear them well. Thorin did not like her presence, but Gandalf had said he would be responsible for her. They could not forget either that she was sent by the Valar, and it was hard to deny them.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?" Balin asked.

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms," Thorin responded.

"All of them!" Balin exclaimed.

"And what did the dwarves of the Iron Hills say?" Dwalin wondered. "Is Dain with us?"

"They will not come." The dwarves started to murmur between them. "They say this quest is ours and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo asked.

Gandalf turned towards the hobbit. "Bilbo, my dear fellow, let us have a little more light." Calithilel listened to the hobbit's steps as he walked. "Far to the east…" He arose and took up a map. "…over ranges and rivers…" He unfolded it. "…beyond woodlands and wastelands…" He laid it down. "…lies a single, solitary peak." He pointed on the map.

Bilbo came back with a candle and looked down. Calithilel closed her eyes, content to listen. "The Lonely Mountain," Bilbo read.

"Aye, Óin has read the portents…" Glóin started. "…and the portents say it is time."

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain, as it was foretold." Óin said. "When the birds of yore return to Erebor…" Calithilel opened her eyes and stood quietly. "…the reign of the beast will end."

"Uh, what beast?" Bilbo asked.

"That would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible…" Bofur explained and Gandalf looked at him. "…chiefest and greatest calamity of our age. Airborne fire-breather. Teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks. Extremely fond of precious metals."

"Yes, I know what a dragon is," Bilbo said.

Ori stood up. "I'm not afraid. I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of dwarfish iron right up his jacksie!"

"Good lad, Ori!" Nori praised. "Sit down," he then added and pulled Ori down back to his chair.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us, but we number just 13, and not 13 of the best…" Balin said. "…nor brightest."

Everyone was looking at Balin now, but it was Nori who spoke first. "Here, who are you calling dim?"

Calithilel cracked a smile.

"Sorry, what did he say?" Óin asked.

"We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us, to the last dwarf," Fíli said hotly.

"And you forget, we have a wizard in our company," Kíli said. "Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time."

Gandalf seemed uncomfortable. "Oh, well, no. I wouldn't say-"

Calithilel giggled quietly.

"How many, then?" Dori asked.

"What?" Gandalf asked back.

"Well, how many dragons have you killed?"

Gandalf coughed and a little of smoke escaped from him as well.

Calithilel took that time to stand closer to Bilbo as she suddenly remembered that he would soon faint.

"Go on. Give us a number."

The dwarves started to shout towards each other and Calithilel kept the urge of covering her ears at bay. Her more sensitive hearing did not appreciate the sound.

"Excuse me. Please," Bilbo tried.

Then Thorin started to shout in dwarvish and she found herself unable to understand. _Whatever,_ she thought. _At least I know elvish._

The dwarves settled again and Thorin could continue. "If we have read these signs, do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon, Smaug, has not been seen for 60 years. Eyes look east to the mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people now lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back Erebor?"

This time when the dwarves made an uproar she did cover her ears until Balin spoke. "You forget, the Front Gate is sealed. There is no way into the mountain."

"That, my dear Balin, is not entirely true," Gandalf said and held up a key.

"How came you by this?" Thorin whispered.

"It was given to me by your father. By Thrain. For safekeeping." He held the key out towards Thorin. "It is yours now."

"If there is a key…" Fíli started while Thorin received the key. "…there must be a door."

Gandalf nodded and then he pointed on the map. "These runes speak of a hidden passage to the Lower Halls."

"There's another way in," Kíli said excited.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gandalf said, concerned and then he sighed. "The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-Earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth and no small amount of courage." He looked at Bilbo. "But if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar," Ori said.

"Hmm. And a good one too. An expert, I'd imagine," Bilbo said.

"And are you?" Glóin asked.

"Am I what?"

"He said he's an expert!" Óin said happily.

"Me?" Bilbo asked. "No. No, no, no. I'm not a burglar. I've never stolen a thing in my life."

"Well, I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins," Balin agreed. "He's hardly burglar material."

"Nope," Bilbo agreed.

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves," Dwalin said and also shot a challenging look Calithilel's way, not truly believing the female elf was as good as Gandalf said her to be.

Calithilel rolled her eyes this time, but her lips were tightly pressed together so she would not open her mouth and say something she would later regret.

"He's just fine," Kíli said.

 _They sound like kids sometimes,_ she thought as the dwarves started to chat again.

Gandalf stood. "Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is. Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most, if they choose. And, while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of a hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the 14th member of this company and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest."

"It's seems you also added a 15th," Thorin muttered but it went unnoticed by Gandalf.

"And he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know," he continued. "Including himself," he added and looked at the hobbit. "You must trust me on this."

"Very well," Thorin responded. "We will do it your way."

"No, no," Bilbo protested.

"Give him the contract," Thorin said.

Calithilel was on edge while Balin explained the contract to Bilbo, handing it over. She looked worried when he read the contract to himself and Sparkles, sensing her distress came to sit by her. She patted his head softly and watched the hobbit carefully.

"Hmm." She had time to hear and then, "Nope." And he started to fall. By instinct she flew forward and managed to catch him before he hit the ground and she lowered him carefully. Then she stood up.

"I will go a little outside. I shall see you all in the morning." She nodded to Gandalf once and then she motioned for Sparkles to follow her. Carefully she climbed the grass roof and laid down, awaiting the next morning. In the distance she heard Starlight call for her and she sent Sparkles to calm her dear and newest friend. Tomorrow the adventure would truly begin, and she briefly wondered what it would bring, of course apart from the few things she seemed to remember. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Tomorrow," she whispered.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**


	3. Chapter 3

**This chap is about 4,300words. I'm posting this now in celebration that I got my driver-license yesterday ;)**

 **R &R! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3:**

She rode ahead first. The earlier conversation with Fíli and Kíli clear in her mind. They had wondered why she had no saddle and no bridle. They did not seem to get that she did not need it, especially with the connection she had with the animals. Starlight understood what she wanted. Her backpack from her own world had also followed her, though empty at the time, and carrying that on her back was the only thing she needed. She kept feeling the dwarves' gazes on her back as they stared at the strange fabric of her bag. Fíli and Kíli seemed the most curious and would much more speak to her than any of the others, though she knew it did not sit all too well with the other dwarves. They did not know her. Eventually, she rode between the two brothers who kept joking between them, including her a little, and a small smile kept her from looking down.

"Wait!" The call from Bilbo made her stop and Starlight stood still. Sparkles sat down beside them and turned his head Bilbo's way. "Wait!" he called again. He came up to the group. "I signed it," he said, holding up the contract. "Here."

She rode up to Gandalf's side.

Balin took the contract and looked it over. "Everything appears to be in order. Welcome, Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."

Calithilel smiled softly. "Gandalf," she whispered. "I'll ride a little ahead."

The wizard nodded as she made Starlight hurry up in gallop, Sparkles staying with the wizard. Eventually as no threat seemed to be near, she had to turn around again and meet the company.

"Did you see anything?" Gandalf asked her.

"No, it seems to be clear for now," she answered.

He nodded.

"I found a place we can camp for the night." It seemed to lift Sparkles' spirit as he barked happily. She laughed, her tone sounding like music, even to the dwarves. "Yes Sparkles, you've deserved a well-made dinner," she whispered to the dog and he seemed satisfied with that.

The night seemed to come fast and as fast as the dwarves were set, several sleeping, she was not able to get rest.

"You have not unpacked, Calithilel," Gandalf said and looked at her.

"Sleep will not come to me this night, I rather keep watch."

The wizard nodded as the female elf arose, took hold of the nearest tree branch, and flung herself up. She sat watching and listening.

Eventually Bilbo arose and went over to the ponies. She saw Starlight trot away and she smiled. She would be back again soon. The sound of the orcs were not so welcome, and she listened carefully while Thorin scolded his nephews. Balin stood and told the tale of Moria and Azog. The familiar story from her world rang in her head and she blinked surprised at remembering in so much detail from the book and the movie. _But if anything, this is more like the movie,_ she thought.

"…there is one who I could follow. There is one… I could call king." Balin's words made Calithilel look towards Thorin. He turned to face his company. She noticed first then that the other dwarves had awoken as well.

 _It's not good, I was too drawn to the story to listen to my surroundings,_ she scolded herself.

"And the pale orc?" Bilbo asked. "What happened to him?"

"He slunk back into the hole whence he came," Thorin said as he walked. "That filth died of his wounds long ago."

 _If it only was true_ , Calithilel thought, not missing the look Gandalf and Balin shared.

It started to rain the next day and rain it seemed it would for a while. _I almost wish I could do something with water_ , she thought sourly as she tried to tighten the cloak more around her.

"Here, Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?"

The question made Calithilel fall back so she was close to the wizard and the hobbit. She grimaced when the hood fell down and she felt the rain fall down her neck and then down her back.

"It is raining, Master dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you wish to change the weather of the world you should find yourself another wizard."

"Are there any?" Bilbo asked.

"What?" Gandalf almost seemed startled by the question.

"Other wizards."

"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman the White. Then there are the two blue wizards… Do you know, I've quite forgotten their names."

"Alatar and Pallando," Calithilel said and Gandalf nodded towards her, but his eyes told her that they would talk later.

"Yes, that is right."

"And who is the fifth?"

"Well, that would be Radagast the Brown."

"Is he a great wizard? Or is he more like you?"

Calithilel giggled.

"I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the east. And a good thing too. For always evil will look to find a foothold in this world."

A little later Calithilel and Gandalf was a little ahead and the wizard thought it best to speak while they had the chance. "You knew Alatar and Pallando?" he asked.

"No," she answered and her lips pulled up in half a smile. "But I read about them in my world, just like you… and many other things."

"You seem to hold back a lot." He was careful with his words as he did not know how the _elleth_ would respond.

She chuckled. "Not at all. The Vala restricted my knowledge of what I have read so I cannot damage the future. Am I useless? Not entirely. I do have a mission and I stand to fulfill it, even if it concerns dwarves, for you see, I have no ill will towards them. I do not even know them. I cannot hate someone I do not know."

Gandalf seemed satisfied with her answer. She stopped Starlight and let the dwarves and Bilbo pass, and then she rode in the back. She chatted with Bilbo, hoping he would feel better, but the poor hobbit did not know how to properly talk to her. She called him out on his worries and then she said, "If it helps dear Bilbo, just remember I was human once." And it did seem to help on the hobbit and she quickly understood that she had gained a new friend.

* * *

"What is it Gandalf?" Calithilel asked after they had stopped. The surroundings made her uneasy and the nature around her seemed to warn her.

"I do not think it is wise to camp here."

"This place fills me with unease."

"A farmer and his family used to live here." Gandalf looked worried and addressed Thorin. "I think it would be wiser to move on! We could make for the Hidden Valley," he said while Thorin moved towards him.

Calithilel tilted her head as she listened to their conversation. Thanking her excellent hearing once more.

"I have told you already… I will not go near that place."

"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice."

"I do not need their advice." The anger in Thorin's voice was no mistake and the female elf took a step in their direction, but then she reconsidered and stopped.

"We have a map that we cannot read. Lord Elrond could help us."

"Help? A dragon attacks Erebor. What help came from the elves? Orcs plunder Moria, desecrate our sacred halls. The elves looked on and did nothing. And you ask me to seek out the very people who betrayed my grandfather. Who betrayed my father."

"You are neither of them. I did not give you that map and key for you to hold onto the past."

"I did not know that they were yours to keep," Thorin spat.

Gandalf turned and walked.

"Everything all right?" Bilbo asked, concern clear in his tone. "Gandalf, where are you going?"

"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense."

"And who's that?"

"Myself, Mr. Baggins! I've had enough of dwarves for one day."

When Gandalf was gone Calithilel approached Thorin. "I think you should listen to Gandalf. The earth is warning me about this place."

"I did not ask for your opinion," he grit out.

"I cannot ignore what the earth tells me."

"And I do not need an elf to tell me what to do or how to lead!"

With a hissing sound Calithilel turned on her heels. "Go Starlight, run away for now. Sparkles, go after Gandalf," she told her two friends. Then with a sigh she sat down as the dwarves bustled around. Eventually food was ready, but she denied with a smile on her face. It felt like her stomach was twisting and she could simply not eat.

"Are you alright, lass?" Balin asked and sat down beside her.

She smiled gratefully at him. "I could've been better. I do not take lightly having to ignore my gifts. After all, they were given to me for a reason." She stood. "Dwalin?" she called. "Do you want to spar?"

The male dwarf had not refused her when she asked, but sparring for a while it was clear that Calithilel was the winner. She was smiling brightly when Fíli and Kíli came running and yelling, "Trolls!" And her smile dropped.

"Where's Bilbo?" Calithilel asked worriedly.

"He tried to free the ponies when we came to tell you," Kíli said, making the female elf run away from them.

"Where is she going?" Thorin barked.

"Towards the trolls," Fíli answered.

Calithilel came to an abrupt stop when she saw the three trolls. _They got Bilbo!_ she thought worriedly and made her way around in silence with the cover of the trees.

"What are you, then?" she heard one of the trolls ask. "An oversized squirrel?"

"I'm a burglar… Uh, hobbit," Bilbo answered.

"A burglar hobbit?" another troll asked.

"Can we cook him?"

"We can try."

 _Because that's not creepy at all_ , she thought and rolled her eyes, crawling forward to try to get a better look behind some bushes.

Bilbo tried to run but suddenly the third troll was in his way. "He wouldn't make more than a mouthful. Not when he's skinned and boned."

"Perhaps there's more burglar hobbits around these parts. Might be enough for a pie."

 _If I remember right, he'll be fine,_ she thought, but it did not calm her worries.

"Grab him!"

"He's too quick."

"Right. Come here, you little… Gotcha. Are there any more of you little fellas hiding where you shouldn't?"

"No." Bilbo shook his head while the troll held him upside-down.

"He's lying."

"No, I'm not!" he said quickly.

"Hold his toes over the fire. Make him squeal!"

The dwarves rushed in and started to fight the trolls. Calithilel face palmed, how could she had forgotten this part? It did not help that the dwarves did this, if only they made it worse. She pulled off her bow that had been resting against her and then she started to fire her arrows from the bushes. The trolls seemed confused from where they came from, and eventually one struck in one trolls eye. _Good,_ she thought, just to lose her smile again as she felt herself being lifted up.

"A she-elf!"

"Calithilel!" Bilbo yelled worriedly, once again held captive.

She lifted her legs towards her and from her boots she grabbed two smaller daggers and slashed after the trolls' hand. He let her go as it stung and she landed gracefully on the ground.

"Lay down your arms… or we'll rip his off."

Calithilel let go of her daggers immediately, but it took a little more for the dwarves to do so as well.

The troll who had been hit by her arrow dragged it out of his eye and fed it to the fire, though it did not help his sight. They were all mostly stripped and she found herself in her underwear, standing by the fire in front of the dwarves. _Never have I been more humiliated,_ she thought angrily.

"Oh! That's hot, that's hot, that's hot!" Nori yelled. He was one of the dwarves being grilled over the fire.

"She'll make a good dessert."

She grimaced and she felt another pull at the ropes around her wrists. _This must be a sick joke_ , she thought and glared at the trolls.

"Don't bother cooking them. Let's just sit on them and squash them into jelly."

"They should be sautéed and grilled with a sprinkle of sage."

"Is this really necessary?" Balin yelled.

"That does sound quite nice."

Calithilel snorted.

"Untie me, mister," Bombur tried.

"Eat someone your own size!" Glóin yelled.

"Never mind the seasoning. We ain't got all night. Dawn ain't far away. Let's get a move on. I don't fancy being turned into stone."

"Wait!" Bilbo yelled, making the trolls look at him. "You are making a terrible mistake."

 _It's your time to shine, Bilbo_ , Calithilel thought happily.

Bilbo managed to stand while the dwarves being grilled opened their mouths, making the female elf sit down with a sigh. It seemed to hurt her a bit, but Bilbo had to do something. "I meant with the seasoning," he then said.

"What about the seasoning?" The troll crouched down some to look at Bilbo.

"Well, have you smelt them? You're gonna need something stronger than sage before you plate this lot up."

 _Yeah, even I smell._ She grinned.

"Traitor!" Bombur yelled.

"What do you know about cooking dwarf?"

"Shut up! Let the flurgaburburhobbit talk."

"The secret to cooking dwarf is…"

"Yes? Come on. Tell us the secret."

"It's, uh… Yes, I'm telling you. The secret is… to skin them first."

"What? Skin us?" Nori yelled and the other dwarves protested as well.

"Tom, get me the filleting knife."

"I won't forget that. I won't forget it," Dwalin shouted.

"What a load of rubbish. I've eaten plenty with their skins on. Scarf them, I say, boots and all."

"He's right. Nothing wrong with a bit of raw dwarf." He picked up Bombur.

 _Come on Bilbo!_ she thought and briefly met Thorin's gaze who tried to understand why she was so calm.

"Nice and crunchy."

"Oh, not that one. He's infected."

"Huh?" The troll almost seemed panicked.

"You what?"

"Yeah, he's got worms in his tubes."

"Eww!" the troll exclaimed and threw Bombur away again while he yelled.

"In fact, they all have. They're infested with parasites. It's a terrible business. I wouldn't risk it. I really wouldn't."

"Parasites? Did he say `parasites´?" Óin asked.

"We don't have parasites!" Kíli protested. "You have parasites!"

Finally realization seemed to dawn on Thorin.

"What are you talking about, laddie?" Óin asked.

Thorin gave a kick.

"I've got parasites as big as my arm," Óin said.

"Mine are the biggest parasites. I've got huge parasites."

Calithilel rolled her eyes for what Kíli said. It was a good thing trolls were stupid.

"What about her?"

"Uhm…" Bilbo had not thought about that.

"Me?" she asked and smiled. "No, I do not have parasites, but I do have something else." Her eyes widened and it startled the trolls.

"What would you have us do, then? Let them all go?"

"I vote we keep the she-elf as part of our treasure, just look at her eyes!"

"Well…"

"You think I don't know what you're up to? This little ferret is taking us for fools."

"Ferret?!"

"Fools?"

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf's voice was a relief to Calithilel's ears.

"Who's that?

"No idea."

"Can we eat him too?"

Gandalf split the stone he stood on in two and the sun shone brightly from the early dawn. The trolls turned to stone and then the dwarves started to laugh cheerfully.

"Calithilel, are you alright my dear?" Gandalf asked worried as he saw the state of dress on the female elf. Sparkles ran from behind her and up to his owner. Whining.

"Never have I been so humiliated," she answered sourly. Her bra from her world had suddenly showed up, no doubt doings from the Valar, and they were the only thing covering her upper body. A pair of pants matching the bra covered her as well, but from that she was bare.

"Then I hope you are glad I brought you your backpack," Gandalf said with a smile.

Calithilel grabbed it hurriedly and got dressed in a blue tunic and brown breeches. She found her extra pair of boots and tied them tightly, before looking for her weapons. She secured the smaller daggers in her boots. Took out a new belt where she could hang her sword. Against her back rested her longer daggers and the bow. She was out of arrows and the quiver had been crushed underneath one of the trolls' feet.

The dwarves were free and dressed again and the female elf listened in when Thorin approached Gandalf. "Where did you go to, if I may ask?"

"To look ahead."

"What brought you back?"

"Looking behind, and a certain dog with the name Sparkles. Nasty business. Still, they're all in one piece."

"No thanks to your burglar." It did not go unnoticed that he did not mention her at all.

"He had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that. They must have come down from the Ettenmoors."

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?"

"Ooh. Not for an age. Not since a darker power ruled these lands." Gandalf paused. "They could not have moved in daylight."

"There must be a cave nearby."

And indeed they found the cave, although Calithilel kept her distance from the foul smell of it while the dwarves went through it. She waited until Gandalf came out with a quiver, full of arrows. "I do believe this will do for now," he said and handed her the quiver.

"Thank you," she said with a slight bow. She turned her back towards him and then looked into the forest. Eventually she heard the dwarves come out of the cave and then she noticed the sound. Startled she turned to look at the dwarves.

"Something's coming!" Thorin yelled.

"Stay together!" Gandalf said with a firm tone. "Hurry now! Arm yourselves!"

Calithilel held her bow, the arrow ready to be shot as she stared between the trees.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" They all heard. Calithilel tilted her head as the souls of many rabbits came closer. _This must be Radagast,_ she thought and looked at the wizard. A sudden memory from her world confirmed it and she put the arrow back into the quiver.

"Radagast," Gandalf said. "It's Radagast the Brown." He walked down towards the other wizard. "Well… What on earth are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you, Gandalf," he answered. "Something's wrong. Something's terribly wrong." His voice was almost a whisper.

"Yes?"

He was about to say something when he stopped up. "Oh." He paused again. "Just give me a minute." Another pause. "Oh. I had a thought and now I've lost it. It was right there on the tip of my tongue." He pointed towards his mouth and Calithilel held herself from laughing. "Oh. It's not a thought at all," he said with his tongue sticking a little out. "It's a silly old…" Gandalf dragged it out. "…stick insect." Calithilel giggled and some of the dwarves looked at her. Also drawing attention from the second wizard. "Who's this?" he asked towards Gandalf.

"Ah. Calithilel is blessed by the Valar, and she's helping us on our journey."

"Such rare gifts," the other wizard mused.

She smiled and nodded.

Gandalf and Radagast went to talk by themselves, however, she did listen in while she watched the uneasy dwarves.

"The Greenwood is sick, Gandalf," she heard Radagast say. "A darkness has fallen over it. Nothing grows anymore. At least, nothing good. The air is foul with decay. But worse are the webs."

 _Oh, how I hate spiders!_ she thought and grimaced.

"Webs?" she heard Gandalf say, almost yelling it. "What do you mean?"

"Spiders, Gandalf. Giant ones. Some kind of spawn of Ungoliant, or I am not a wizard. I followed their trail. They came from Dol Guldur."

"Huh? Dol Guldur? But the old fortress is abandoned."

"No, Gandalf. `Tis not," Radagast whispered. "A dark power dwells in there, such as I have never felt before. It is the shadow of an ancient horror. One that can summon the spirits of the dead." He paused. "I saw him, Gandalf. From out of the darkness, a Necromancer has come."

Calithilel shook her head and stopped prying. She smiled towards Bilbo who looked as uneasy as the rest. "Are you alright?" she asked and he nodded once, she gave a push to Sparkles who were close to her and he went over to Bilbo. She noticed someone staring at her and she turned her head to meet Thorin's eyes. "What?" she asked. He did not answer her.

Howl from an animal made her stiffen. She remembered now. The wargs. The orcs chasing the company in the story.

"Was that a wolf?" Bilbo asked. "Are there wolves out there?"

Calithilel shook her head while Bofur said, "Wolves? No, that is not a wolf."

A sudden growl made her turn with the others and a warg had come close. Hurriedly she readied her bow and aimed quickly. She hit the warg in its head, but he still managed to pounce towards the dwarves, who in turn attacked.

"Kíli! Get your bow!" Thorin yelled. He briefly met her eyes and she rolled them.

"I'm not invisible, am I?" she asked, sarcasm dripping. Then she shot another warg, and it fell over, dead.

"Warg scouts," Thorin said angrily. "Which means an orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?" Bilbo asked.

"Who did you tell about your quest beyond your kin?" Gandalf asked, but his tone demanding an answer.

"No one."

"Who did you tell?!"

"No one, I swear. What in Durin's name is going on?"

"You are being hunted," Gandalf answered.

"We have to get out of here," Dwalin said.

"We can't. We have no ponies, and only Starlight stayed," Ori yelled. "They bolted!"

Calithilel looked at the horse close to them. "Go girl, go! We'll meet again!" Starlight briefly nodded with her head and then she turned in full gallop, disappearing through the trees. Sparkles barked and growled, looking between the trees.

"I'll draw them off," Radagast said determined.

"These are Gundabad wargs. They will outrun you," Gandalf said.

"These are Rhosgobel rabbits… I'd like to see them try."

Calithilel smiled at the wizard. However, she did not have much time to think before they had to start running. Her bow ever present in her hand, and Sparkles running close to her.

"Come on," Gandalf said as he led the company out into a more bare terrain. They could easily be spotted if they were not careful. The rocks around was not enough. When they almost ran into the wargs Gandalf said, "Stay together."

"Move!" Thorin yelled.

In an ungraceful moment, that she never would forget, her right foot stuck in a rock and she fell forward. She caught herself with her hands, but her bow shattered. "Damn it," she swore and glared at the broken bow.

"Calithilel!" Thorin yelled, seeing her getting up from the ground.

"I'm alright, just go!" she yelled back.

The running did not exhaust her and she liked the thrill of it. But being so close to the wargs were not calming her down as she looked worriedly at Sparkles. They hid again, but she could hear the close growling of a warg and soon the company did too. When Kíli shot the warg and its rider, they made so much sound that it was only a matter of time before the others would find them. And it went fast.

"Sparkles!" Calithilel yelled. "Stay back and safe!" The dog nodded and shielded himself behind the dwarves and her. She drew her daggers and fought with worry. She knew she was good, but she did not want the dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf hurt.

"Move! Run!" Gandalf yelled.

"Come Sparkles!" Calithilel yelled as she kept close to Bilbo.

"This way! Quickly!"

Then they were surrounded and Calithilel grit her teeth.

"Kíli! Shoot them!" Thorin yelled.

"We're surrounded!" Fíli yelled.

"You don't say!" Calithilel yelled back, anger filling her tone.

"Where's Gandalf?" Dori wondered.

"He's abandoned us," Dwalin shouted.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin yelled and drew his sword.

Calithilel made her way to the nearest warg and its rider quickly and then slayed them.

"This way, you fools!" she heard Gandalf yell and she turned to see him halfway behind a large rock.

"Come on, move!" Thorin yelled. "Calithilel! Move!"

"I'm on my way!" she growled and started to run towards the entrance.

"Quickly! All of you!"

"Thorin! Go down!" Calithilel yelled while slaying another orc. "I'll be right after you! But you need to go down!" _You need to stay safe._

"Kíli! Run!" Thorin then yelled.

"Thorin, you need to go!"

And he jumped, followed by Kíli. Calithilel breathed out and sent Sparkles down. With one last look behind her, she followed and a horn sounded not long after. Then an orc fell down to them. "Elves," Thorin said as if the word itself was a curse when he dragged the arrow out of the orc.

"I cannot see where the pathway leads. Do we follow it or no?" Dwalin yelled from further in in the cave.

"Follow it, of course," Bofur said.

"I think that would be wise," Gandalf agreed.

Calithilel ended up walking as last and she looked down at her dog. "Are you alright, Sparkles?" she asked him and looked him in the eyes. Yes, he was fine, but worried about her. "I'm fine, thank you," she said softly.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**


	4. Chapter 4

**This chap is about 3,700words. I'm so excited! We are getting closer and closer to the part with Mirkwood. Now, while I still remember, apologize if characters might feel a bit OOC (usually warn about this in ch1 in my stories, but this time it really slipped my mind)**

Added speech:

 _ **`Black speech´**_

 **R &R! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4:**

Eventually the cave led to an opening and light shone brightly. She was glad she was the last one out and she smiled. It was beautiful! She had never seen it herself, only in books when she stayed in Lórien, but now she saw it.

"The Valley of Imladris," Gandalf announced. "In the common tongue it's known by another name."

"Rivendell," Bilbo said.

"Here lies the Last Homely House East of the Sea."

"This was your plan all along," Throin accused. "To seek refuge with our enemy."

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself," Gandalf said.

" _I do not think he ever will warm up to elves,_ " Calithilel said, meeting Gandalf's eyes.

" _But there you are wrong. I do believe he sees you as a friend,_ " he answered.

" _No, he tolerates me, that is all, and yet I have not unleashed my earthly temper on him_." She laughed.

"No, I do not think that would bode well," Gandalf agreed.

"You think the elves will give our quest their blessing?" Thorin then asked and took a moment to glare at the female elf in their company, who in turn glared back. "They will try to stop us," he then added.

"Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered." Gandalf paused. "If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact. And respect. And no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me and Calithilel."

"Thank you for thinking me full of charm, Gandalf," Calithilel said with a grin when they were walking side by side. "But I must say I am more likely to get angry soon."

The wizard looked upon her with surprise.

"I've never been here before. I remember a letter mother read from Lord Elrond. He wanted me to visit. He wanted more knowledge of me, I have no doubt he will hold me back here," she mused. "Do not get me wrong, I do not think him cruel or wrong. Had I had a softer personality I might have agreed long ago, but my human spirit remain."

"You are good with acting then." Gandalf raised his brows.

"Sometimes you have to be, so you can hide your real feelings," she muttered and slowed her pace so the dwarves and Bilbo could pass her. She pulled her cloak tighter around her and raised the hood.

After passing the bridge, an elf came to greet them. "Mithrandir," he greeted.

"Ah. Lindir," Gandalf greeted.

"Stay sharp," Thorin whispered.

" _We heard you had crossed into the Valley,_ " Lindir said.

"I must speak with Lord Elrond," Gandalf answered.

"My Lord Elrond is not here."

"Not here? Where is he?"

The horn sounded, and Calithilel knew it was the same one from earlier with the wargs and the orc pack. She moved quickly and ended up staying in the middle of the dwarves together with Bilbo and Sparkles when elves on horses came and surrounded them. Sparkles barked loudly twice, startling some of the horses. _Shhh,_ she thought, feeling after the horses. _Be calm, he is a friend._ It seemed to help the souls and a small smile graced her lips.

"Gandalf."

Calithilel looked at the elf.

"Lord Elrond," Gandalf greeted. " _My friend. Where have you been?_ "

" _We've been hunting a pack of orcs that came up from the south._ " He jumped off his horse. " _We slew a number near the Hidden Pass._ " He hugged Gandalf and Calithilel pressed her lips together. "Strange for orcs to come so close to our borders. Something or someone has drawn them near."

"That may have been us," Gandalf admitted.

Thorin stepped forward.

"Welcome, Thorin, son of Thrain," Elrond said, addressing Thorin.

"I do not believe we have met," Thorin said and stared at the elf.

"You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled Under the Mountain."

"Indeed? He made no mention of you."

" _And who is the cloaked one?_ " he asked, recognizing the elvish cloak. Calithilel reached up to her hood and let it fall. "Calithilel _,_ " he greeted and bowed.

"Lord Elrond," she answered with a small bow in return.

" _You have such strange traveling companions,_ " he mused.

" _The choice in companions is my own,_ " she answered icily. " _I do not mind the dwarves_. They are great." It seemed to make him quiet down, and for the dwarves to look at her with surprise.

"Now, now, Calithilel." Gandalf watched her warily.

After Elrond spoke again, Glóin could not hold it. "What is he saying? Does he offer us insult?" He held his axe out.

"No, Master Glóin, he's offering you food," Gandalf answered.

" _In front of dwarves, common is wise,_ " Calithilel said lightly, seeing Elrond and Gandalf frown.

The dwarves stopped muttering between them. "Well, in that case, lead on," Glóin said.

Calithilel fell in step beside Thorin and he looked up at her. "What did you tell the elf, earlier?" he asked her.

A look of anger crossed her. "He did not seem to approve who I chose as my traveling companions. I did not agree with him. But know this Thorin. I do not speak elvish in front of you to insult you or try to hide anything. I do it to respect the elves."

Thorin snorted. "You seem to lack that respect."

"Oh, it's nothing too personal. The matter shall be solved soon enough."

"Calithilel! Lindir will lead you to my daughter so you may change," Elrond announced.

She stiffened. "I do not wear dresses," she said and stopped.

"Behave," Gandalf scolded as if she was a difficult child.

With rigid steps, she made her way to Lindir. "Take me to Arwen," she said and he nodded. "Sparkles, stay with Bilbo." The dog seemed lost as she walked away from him, but the puppy-look had gotten old and she knew he would be fine.

After a much-needed bath, Arwen presented to Calithilel three dresses. Though they did not entirely know each other, they had exchanged some few letters earlier in Calithilel's days. Instead she refused and said she would take dinner in her room, and after Arwen left, she snuck out to explore. Until she in her hurry bumped straight into two figures.

"My, my, what do we have here, dear brother?"

"Purple hair? I believe she is family."

"Our aunt, even if she's younger than us."

She looked up with narrowed eyes.

"Elladan…" the first one started.

"…and Elrohir…" the second continued.

"…at your service," they finished and grinned while bowing.

"Calithilel," she answered short.

The twins seemed confused. "Are you angry with us?" Elladan asked.

"Did we do something to offend you?" Elrohir followed.

She sighed and let herself not show any emotion. "No, I'm sorry. I was simply in a bad mood. It happens."

"Unusual to see an _elleth_ wear a tunic around these parts instead of a dress," Elladan mused.

"Well, I prefer walking around like this. Force me into a dress and you will be sorry."

"Feisty," Elrohir chuckled.

"Your eyes deceive you," Calithilel said and then attempted to walk past them.

"Whatever do you mean?" they asked at the same time.

She sighed. "You are both full of mischief, are you not? Well, I do not want part of it, even if we are family." She attempted to walk away once more, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Where are you going?" Elladan asked.

"To find my dog, and the dwarves," she whispered and hurried down the nearest steps. She ended up in a garden, and had it not been that she saw Thorin and not another elf, she would have turned. "Thorin," she said surprised while sitting down on the grass.

"Calithilel, you did not come to dinner."

"I was not hungry." She smiled.

He walked towards her and towered over her so she had to look up on him. "The eyes that are more beautiful than any jewels. The eyes belonging to an elf I see as a friend. What will she do when we reach the mountain?" he asked.

Surprised at his words her eyes started to tear. "You see me as a friend?" Her voice shook.

He chuckled. "I might not show it very well, but you have proved to be valuable in our company, and the others like you too, even if you do not speak much. Gandalf can also be very convincing. At least I would like to work towards any sort of friendship."

"I tend to keep quiet when I do not know what to say. A human trait of mine is a strong shyness over people I do not truly know, and I tend to keep to myself. Do not mistake me. I can blow up, I have a temper, but most of the time I try to keep it at bay." She laughed with him this time. "Now, what will I do when we reach the mountain? Well, that depends on what happens, with Smaug and everything. But when you got your mountain back I will take my leave and travel back to my mother and resume my post as marchwarden."

"That does not sound like much of an adventure."

She smiled halfway this time. "No, I guess it doesn't, but I do not have another call. Yet I have to find my mate. I feel lost."

"Just because you do not have a partner? You know, you could stay in the mountain."

This time she really laughed. "Oh. Thorin. Are you sure _you_ are alright? An elf living there? No, I do not think I will be very welcome, but thank you for the offer. No… I think I will stop by Radagast, maybe he can teach me some about the forest. Maybe I could help in healing it." She paused. "I thank you for kind words. I thought you only tolerated me, even the others of the company seem wary of me, well, except Fíli and Kíli." She laughed.

"If you look closer…"

"If I look closer I might end up staying in that mountain." It was meant half way as a joke, but the truth rung close to her heart. She truly meant it. For the dwarves brought up a form of normalcy that she longed for. In one way a more freely living style, while at the same time they protected what they cherished. She shook her head. No. She loved being an elf. She loved feeling so close to the nature. She loved being a marchwarden. She was a great warrior and not male. Male and female elves looked at her in the same way. She was not less. Yet she was not above them. _It's hard to explain, even to myself,_ she thought and barely noticed Thorin move beside her.

Thorin arose. "I'll see you at the meeting with Lord Elrond."

"Thank you," she whispered, after his retreating form.

She sat thinking a while longer after he left. She remembered he and his nephews would die, but how could she prevent it? She could not stay in three places at once, but she knew she had to try and to have a plan before the time came.

* * *

"Our business is no concern of elves."

Calithilel was running late and heard Thorin's voice. She burst into the room where he, Balin, Bilbo, Gandalf and Elrond waited. "Sorry I'm late," she said a little winded.

"For goodness sake, Thorin, show him the map," Gandalf said, ignoring her.

"It is the legacy of my people. It is mine to protect, as are its secrets."

"Save me from the stubbornness of dwarves. Your pride will be your downfall. You stand in the presence of one of the few in Middle-Earth who can read that map. Show it to Lord Elrond."

Thorin looked at Calithilel and she nodded once. He took out the map.

"Thorin, no," Balin said, trying to stop him.

Thorin handed over the map to Elrond, and Calithilel felt like she could breathe again. "Erebor," he said. "What is your interest in this map?"

"It's mainly academic," Gandalf hurried to say before anyone else could. "As you know, this sort of artifact sometimes contains hidden text." Gandalf gave the little group a look when Elrond turned and Calithilel shrugged. "You still read ancient dwarvish, do you not?" he then asked. Elrond spoke quietly, but she heard the elvish words, while Gandalf said, "Moon runes? Of course. An easy thing to miss."

"Well, in this case that is true," Elrond started. "Moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written."

"Can you read them?" Thorin asked.

"May I take my leave?" Calithilel asked as a far-away bark made her aware that something was going on.

"Of course," Elrond answered and nodded once her way.

She curtsied in a hurry and then took off towards the barks who rang with pause. She started to sprint but came to a halt. "Mother?" she asked, surprise filling her.

 _Hello dear daughter._

She threw herself at her mother and she held tightly around her. "Oh, I'm so glad to see you! And a bit surprised," she admitted.

 _Beware, daughter of mine. The White Council has been summoned, and you must stay behind while the dwarves continue on their quest._

 _What?_ she thought, shocked.

"You will travel later again, with Gandalf. Now, I must go."

"Of course," she whispered.

She watched her mother walk away and when out of sight she turned on her heels to return to her chamber, Sparkles running with her.

 _I cannot let you meet the goblins. A horrible fate will then befall you_. Those words rang in her head when she awoke and confused she looked around.

 _But nothing too serious happens, I remember what happens!_ she protested in her head.

 _You did not belong in that story, Calithilel. I will not lose you!_

Her mother's harsh and worried tone moved Calithilel to stand and she watched out the window in her room with care.

Further in the day when Gandalf was released from the council, and after a quick meal, the two of them hurried out of Rivendell to follow the dwarves, but still on foot. After agreeing where to meet up again – since Gandalf knew of her fate if she was to enter the mountain with the goblins – they split up. And she awaited the wizard, the hobbit and the dwarves for a while. She petted Sparkles frequently, trying to calm herself. She was armed with a new bow and quiver. Her daggers secured. But her sword was at hand.

She heard the noise before she saw them, and then Gandalf, followed by the dwarves that came running towards her.

"Five, six, seven, eight." She heard Gandalf count. "Bifur. Bofur. That's 10. Fíli, Kíli! That's 12. And Bombur. That makes 13."

"Where's Bilbo?" she asked, before Gandalf had time to say it.

"Where is our hobbit?" Gandalf asked towards the dwarves. "Where is our hobbit?!"

"Curse that halfling! Now he's lost?" Dwalin gritted out.

"I thought he was with Dori!" Glóin exclaimed.

"Don't blame me!" Dori answered.

"Well, where did you last see him?" Gandalf asked.

"I think I saw him slip away when they first collared us," Nori spoke up.

"And what happened, exactly?" Gandalf was not very happy. "Tell me!" he demanded.

"I'll tell you what happened," Thorin started. "Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it. He has thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door. We will not be seeing our hobbit again."

"Thorin," Calithilel growled, feeling her anger rise.

"He is long gone."

"Then I am going after him," Calithilel said and started to make her way towards the mountain.

"Calithilel!" Gandalf yelled.

"No. He isn't."

Bilbo's voice made her freeze, and the relief flowed through her. "Bilbo," she breathed.

"Bilbo Baggins," Gandalf said with a chuckle. "I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life."

"Bilbo. We'd given you up," Kíli admitted.

"Speak for yourselves," Calithilel muttered, and then the memories from her world flooded her again. She should not have worried.

"How on earth did you get past the goblins?" Fíli asked.

"How, indeed," Dwalin wondered.

Bilbo chuckled nervously, but only Gandalf and Calithilel picked it up.

"Well, what does it matter? He's back," Gandalf then said.

"It matters. I want to know. Why did you come back?" Thorin asked.

"Look, I know you doubt me. I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag-End. I miss my books." Calithilel smiled. "And my armchair and my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back. Because… you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."

Bilbo's speech seemed to quiet them all, until the growls of wargs went through the trees.

"Out of the frying pan," Thorin whispered.

"And into the fire. Run. Run!" Gandaf led the company once more, while Calithilel remained in the back and sent Sparkles forward.

It did not take long before they caught up to them, and the company had to fight. Calithilel fired some arrows first, until the beasts were too close, then she reached for her daggers. But the cliff stopped them all.

"Up into the trees," Gandalf commanded. "All of you! Come on, climb! Bilbo, climb!"

Calithilel grabbed Sparkles and flung herself up with him. She climbed as far as she could and held her dog tightly. "It's alright," she whispered. "We'll be fine."

"Quickly!" Thorin yelled.

She briefly saw Bilbo trying to drag his sword out of a warg and her eyes widened.

"They're coming!" Thorin yelled.

Bilbo managed to get his sword out, and just in time too for him to climb up the tree. Calithilel held Sparkles firmly and jumped over to the tree Gandalf was in.

"Hang on!" she heard Bofur yell.

"Hold on, brothers!" Glóin yelled.

"Azog," she heard Thorin whisper. Calithilel watched with wide eyes the orc from the stories.

` _ **Do you smell it?´**_ Azog spoke in black speech. ` _ **The scent of fear? I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain.**_ ´

"It cannot be," Thorin whispered.

` _ **This one is mine**_ ,´ Azog said and pointed at Thorin. ` _ **Kill the others!**_ ´

Calithilel gritted her teeth while the wargs were under the trees, the dwarves, Bilbo, Gandalf and she occupied. She could not use or reach her bow while holding onto Sparkles.

` _ **Drink their blood!**_ ´ Azog yelled.

"It's going!" Dwalin yelled while one tree started to fall.

She held on tightly to the tree when Gandalf threw the first pinecone with fire. Then he yelled, "Fíli!" And threw one to him so they could start spreading the fire. She could not help with Sparkles whimpering in her arms. Then the tree started falling and it was hanging over the cliff.

"I'm so sorry Sparkles," she whispered while holding on to one branch, while the other arm gripped Sparkles as tightly as possible.

"No!" she heard Gandalf.

"Mr. Gandalf!" Dori yelled, right before he started to fall. But Gandalf was quick with his staff and Dori got hold of it.

"Oh, no, Dori!" Ori yelled.

"Thorin, no!" Calithilel screamed when she saw him going to face Azog.

She felt herself slip, and all other sounds disappeared. Her wide-eyes stared up at Gandalf's horrified ones. A tear fell from her, shining in silver just as the moon. Then she fell.

She did not scream. She let her other arm around Sparkles and closed her eyes and waited to hit the ground. She seemed to fall for ages, but then she landed on something soft, though the air was knocked out of her. Above her she saw the eagles flying and she could only guess that she was on top of one too. She breathed out. "We're safe," she whispered.

Sparkles answered by licking her chin and she laughed, relived.

Eventually the eagle stopped and she sat up to see. She could climb down with her friend and she stood on top of the mountain. She let Sparkles free and she could feel he was relieved to be walking himself.

Dawarves were let down. Thorin the first, then Gandalf who ran over to him.

The wind changed and a warmer breeze took hold of Calithilel. She stared up. _You made my fall much longer_ , she realized.

" _I could not let you die now, could I?_ " Manwë's voice rung in her head.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"The halfling?" she heard Thorin ask.

"It's all right. Bilbo is here. He's quite safe," Gandalf assured him.

"You!"

Sparkles started to growl at Thorin when he faced Bilbo. "Shh, it's all right," she whispered to her friend. Her lips were pressed together in a thin line.

"What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say that you would be a burden? That you would not survive in the wild? That you had no place amongst us?" He stopped close to Bilbo. "I have never been so wrong in all my life."

While Thorin hugged Bilbo, Fíli came to stand beside Calithilel. "I almost thought we lost you."

She smiled at the dwarf. "Manwë could not let me die before the eagles came. Then my purpose would not be fulfilled for this adventure," she answered.

He stared at her with surprise.

"The wind helped me."

"…I'm not a hero or a warrior," she heard Bilbo say, and turned to look at him. "Not even a burglar." She giggled and he smiled her way.

She sat down while trying to think over how they all would get down, while the others looked towards Erebor. The talk about it, made her turn her head and she gasped. In the distance she saw the beauty through the dawn.

"A raven!" Óin exclaimed. "The birds are returning to the mountain."

"That, my dear Óin, is a thrush," Gandalf corrected.

"But we'll take it as a sign," Thorin said. "A good omen."

"You're right," Bilbo agreed. "I do believe the worst is behind us."

 _If it only was so_ , Calithilel thought with a grimace. She remembered about Beorn, and that would happen soon. Then they would have to go through Mirkwood, or Greenwood, where they would be captured. She certainly did not look forward to that.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**


	5. Chapter 5

**This chap is about 3,900, almost 4,000words. I must also thank my guest reviewers, and also ischyros for your great boosting reviews. Yes, it is time for another update and I feel awful for being so slow, but my health has not been the greatest this past month which also made me lazy.**

 **I must also admit that this chapter can get a bit sad towards the end, and I shed some few tears while writing it.**

 **R &R! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5:**

Bilbo came running down large rocks towards the group. Wargs howled in the distance and Calithilel had her head slightly tilted while trying to listen. Sparkles was glued to her side and his head rested against her left knee.

"How close is the pack?" Thorin asked.

"Too close. A couple of leagues, no more. But that's not the worst of it," Bilbo answered.

"Have the wargs picked up on our scent?" Thorin wondered.

"Not yet. But they will do. We have another problem."

"Did they see you?" Gandalf asked. "They saw you."

"No, that's not it."

"What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse. Excellent burglar material."

"Will you listen? Will you just listen?"

Sparkles barked once and loud. It helped in quieting down the dwarves.

"I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there," Bilbo explained.

"What form did it take? Like a bear?"

 _Beorn,_ she thought at the sudden memory, of course it was now.

"Ye…" Bilbo paused. "Ye-yes, but bigger. Much bigger."

"You knew about this beast?" Bofur asked. Gandalf turned from the group. "I say we double back."

Calithilel rolled her eyes, but she also worried for Bilbo and approached him. Asking him quietly if he was ok. He nodded to her while Thorin spoke: "And be run down by a pack of orcs?"

"There is a house…" Gandalf started and turned back towards the company. "…it's not far from here, where we might take refuge."

"Whose house?" Thorin wanted to know. "Are they friend or foe?"

"Neither. He will help us or… he will kill us."

Calithilel felt Bilbo's eyes on her and she briefly met them. She knew what he wanted to know. Instead of saying anything she rested a finger to her lips in a silent gesture and then nodded once.

"What choice do we have?" Thorin did not sound too happy, but the roars nearby made the decision easier when Gandalf said `None´.

 _Always this running,_ Calithilel thought with dismay as she moved gracefully over the terrain towards Beorn's house. Had it not been for her memories that had come back until this event and a tiny bit further, she might have been a bit more sceptic, and maybe even running faster. But deep within she knew Beorn would not hurt _her_. Her gifts to the animals applied for the bear-man as well when he was in his bear form, and she could always try to calm him or even communicate. However, she did not risk it with the wargs and orcs so close.

She twirled around the dwarves until she was in the lead, briefly winking at Fíli and Kíli who in turn gaped. Sparkles ran beside her, his feeling of joy in the run, filling her. Then they were between trees again and Gandalf took the lead. She chose to stay in the back, just in case. But that did not help when they reached Beorn's home. The dwarves were too short to reach the latch that kept the door closed. She was not able to move past any of the dwarves as they all pressed up against the door. In the end she screamed angrily, shocking the dwarves enough so she had time to jump over them and quickly she opened the door. She fell in with the dwarves pushing her so much and she gritted her teeth angrily while they all passed her. In the end she managed to crawl away while they tried to close the door in Beorn's bear-face.

"What is… that?" Ori asked, turning to Gandalf.

"That is our host," he answered. He looked at Calithilel who had her eyes narrowed, and then back to the dwarves. "His name is Beorn. And he's a skin-changer. Sometimes he's a huge black bear. Sometimes he's a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overfond of dwarves."

"What about elves?" Bilbo asked curiously.

Gandalf looked at Calithilel again. "Calithilel has gifts from the Vala, Beorn will notice. Such a creature in his presence… He will not mind." He smiled.

She crossed her arms. "He's leaving. I hear it."

While the dwarves started talking again Bilbo came to ask if she was ok. Oh, she was, just a little grumpy when it concerned the dwarves. Fíli had taken to play with Sparkles who in turn happily wiggled his tail. Kíli watched with a little jealousy as he was not able to get the same excitement from the dog.

"All right, now get some sleep. All of you. You'll be safe here tonight… I hope…" Gandalf's sudden announcement made Calithilel look up. "Yes, even you," he said and looked directly at her.

"But I can't rest now," she protested.

"We both know you're able to sleep much more than the normal elf. Get rest while you can."

"Fine," she muttered and sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall. She closed her eyes and briefly felt Sparkles join her. His head resting in her lap. Two dwarven bodies joined her on each side and she opened her eyes in surprise. Fíli and Kíli sat on each side with closed eyes, but she knew by their breathing that they were not yet asleep. "What do you think you're doing," she whispered. Hiding a bit of her amusement.

"Keeping you company," Fíli mumbled.

"You two are too attached," she complained.

"We like you," Kíli answered with a yawn.

"You feel like family," they both whispered, and their breathing evened out.

Touched, Calithilel felt her eyes tear and she closed them, so they would not spill. A small smile graced her lips when darkness took over and rest came.

The morning came slower than she would have thought in the first place, but why she at all woke up was because she could feel someone stare at her. The presence was leaning towards her and studying her. She also took notice of that Fíli and Kíli were gone, and then she focused on the breathing in the room. _So, they are awake, but why so quiet?_ Sparkles lifted his head and in turn her eyes shot open. She stood with quickness and grace and she briefly heard someone gasp. In front of her was who she assumed to be Beorn. At least he fit the description, and she could not imagine him being someone else.

"Beorn," she said in surprise and relaxed.

The large man in front of her looked surprised, but at least he leaned a bit back and away from her. His eyes not wavering from hers. "Sent from the Vala," he muttered.

She did hear him and she nodded.

"Would you care for some breakfast, Calithilel?"

Gandalf's voice startled her and she turned towards him. "Well, if you would excuse me, but I would like to feel some of the fresh air outside before I eat," she replied. She nodded her head towards Beorn in a grateful manner. "Thank you for letting us stay here," she told him sincerely and then made for the door.

Sparkles had followed her out and together they sat down on the grass, breathing in the morning air. Eventually though, he could no longer sit still and he ended up sniffing around, but always staying close to her.

For Calithilel though, did memories from her first year as an elf resurface and she was pulled away from the time as she looked back.

...

" _Dear Calithilel, if you're going to sit and pout like this, you'll never learn," Galadriel said while sitting down beside her on the ground._

 _Galadriel knew that Calithilel could become excellent in whatever she wanted if she just tried and put in some more effort. For the previous human had it in her with giving up too easily._

 _Haldir who stood on the side to follow their process until Calithilel would be ready to start with the bow, raised his brows. He personally thought the previous human to be great entertainment at times as she did not know how to be an elf and she often said things without thinking. But this time, this time he almost worried. Her dog Sparkles, sat beside him and by instinct, he let his hand touch the soft fur, as to calm the dog and tell him that his owner was ok._

" _I just can't," Calithilel whined. "I'm not able to be as graceful as you. We've been working with this for a week, and I feel no improvement. I feel like a failure." Tears gathered in her eyes, but she would not let them fall._

" _Yes you can." Galadriel arose and held out Calithilel's two daggers. "You will do this for me," she said with authority like a parent and the female in front of her stared at her with surprise. "I've taken you in as my own, Silver… Calithilel… You are my daughter and I will make sure that you are able to fend for yourself. I will make sure you have a future. I will help you to be the elleth you so want to be. Rise!"_

 _Calithilel almost stumbled to get up and grabbed the two daggers from her mother. Tears trailed down her cheeks, but she was also determined to make Galadriel proud._

 _..._

" _Great! Your father can now take over your training," Haldir said and took her bow._

" _What?" Calithilel asked with surprise._

" _You have taken to the bow faster than I thought, well, at least when you came over your stubbornness and stopped pouting." He laughed._

" _I did not!" she protested._

" _Oh, yes you did. Just like you did with your mother when you first not managed to handle the daggers. But look at you now! You even bested the Lady Galadriel in a duel with those daggers."_

 _Calithilel blushed. She was still not used to those type of praises, and especially not from Haldir, even if they had become good friends. Sometimes she wished that he had been her mate, but she would have known when first seeing him then. However, it would have made everything so much easier. For both of them. But it was not and would never be and she was grateful for his friendship._

" _I'm sorry, Haldir. I know you're right. It's just, you have already seen me hold a sword once, and we both winced at the thought. Daggers I can handle well and the bow greatly too, but a sword?"_

 _Haldir chuckled. "Well, you're still not better than I," he teased._

 _She stuck her tongue out._

" _You're so childish." He sighed._

" _So can you be," she said lightly._

 _A bark. Sparkles came running towards them followed by Galadriel and Celeborn. The two straightened up. Haldir bowing while Calithilel simply smiled._

" _I heard of the news," Galadriel said with a smile._

 _Calithilel paled._

 _Celeborn chuckled. "Come now, Calithilel. It cannot be that bad. See how well it went with the bow. I'm sure the sword will be just fine."_

 _However, Galadriel had to hide a smile, for she knew what was to come, and it would be quite amusing._

 _..._

"Calithilel!" A hand waved in front of her face and startled she drew her daggers and pointed it at the intruder. She blinked. It was not only one, but two intruders. She put her daggers back. "Finally," Kíli said and rolled his eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"We could ask you the same," Fíli pointed out.

"Er, just thinking," she responded and decided to get up.

"That sounds dangerous," Kíli joked, making her smile.

"I was thinking of the past. Just some memories."

"Ah, fine, keep it a secret."

Fíli hit his brother up his head.

"Ouch, why did you do that?" Kíli complained.

"Don't worry, it was no secrets. It's just… I…" However, she did not manage to continue. She was distracted with the sounds of hooves coming her way. A whinny. "Starlight?" she asked. She closed her eyes and searched for the connection to her horse. She felt many of Beorn's bees before she felt her horse. "Starlight!" she yelled happily and opened her eyes. She could see her horse coming with great speed towards her, but then she slowed into a trot, and came all the way to her. "Hey there," she whispered and patted Starlight's neck.

"Ehem." Balin's half-cough startled the three, and Fíli, Kíli and Calithilel turned to see the white-haired dwarf.

"Balin," Calithilel said and smiled.

"Lass, I apologize for not having approached you sooner, but a lot has happened. I have your contract." He held out the paper towards her.

"Thank you, Balin," she said. She read through the contract and then raised a brow. "Balin? Didn't I say that I did not want any treasure?" she asked.

"Aye, but the rest of the company and I would not feel right if you did not at least choose one piece of the treasure."

"But why _anything_ of my choosing?"

"Just accept it, lass."

Fíli and Kíli nodded towards her and she bit her lip. "Alright. But only _one_ thing."

The three dwarves smiled satisfied and after Calithilel signed the contract, the tree of them retreated to Beorn's house. Not soon after the man in question came out and helped her with Starlight.

"Once more I must thank you for your hospitality, Beorn," Calithilel said while she brushed Starlight.

The man merely nodded and went to feed the animals.

"A man of few words," she muttered and put down the brush.

Sparkles watched her with wise eyes and she could feel his emotions within her. He was content for now, but he would not mind her removing some more fur when they reached the mountain. It was growing longer for every day that passed, and he was starting to truly look like himself again. He felt proud over his own looks, but there were no female dogs to impress. It made her laugh. Her dog was truly a wonder and she loved him very much. She came over and started to brush him and he closed his eyes in content.

"Now, aren't you a fine male," she praised.

She arose and went back into Beorn's house. Breakfast was long over and she had obviously missed a lot. But she had needed time for herself and time with her animals. She could never know how much time she had left. Of course her mother had not said that she would meet her end in this journey, but the future was not set in stone, and you could not know what would happen.

Brief memories of Mirkwood, the forest the dwarves had been talking about, came back from the time on earth and she frowned. Greenwood was now Mirkwood. No, that was not right. _Others_ called it Mirkwood. Outsiders. _Spiders_. The thought struck her once more and she shuddered. _Oh, I hate spiders! And those are huge!_ she thought.

She sat by herself with the table and ate a piece of bread, wondering what she could do. Would the forest poison her mind like with the dwarves? She shook her head to clear it. She had the gift from the Valar. It would most likely kick in by just walking through the forest. But could she speed along the healing process where she was walking? Could she make the spiders go away? No, she might not be able to chase away the spiders, but at least they would have a little less territory to hunt on with more healthy woods, right? _Then again, how much will it take from me?_ She also wondered if they could avoid meeting the elves, but at the same time she had to admit that it was not likely. After all, it was their woods.

" _You think too much, child._ " Yavanna's voice startled her and she straightened up. " _We let you remember when we feel you need to know, but do not worry too much. Not all things can be prevented_ ," she said.

 _It happens,_ Calithilel thought and felt a blush rise to her cheeks. A tinkling laughter went through her head and then disappeared.

"What troubles you?" Gandalf asked.

"The road through Mirkwood," she answered.

"Ah, yes. Do you remember anything that you are able to say without damaging the future?"

"Spiders," she whispered.

"Radagast told us of them already."

"Yes, but, they'll be in our way and… and I cannot say more."

"Hm. No, you should not I would dare say."

"I'll protect them as well as I can," she promised.

He smiled and turned away from her.

* * *

Calithilel was sitting on Starlight, ready to move on while the dwarves got up on the ponies. She met Beorn's eyes once and gave him a grateful nod. She would send Starlight back to him when they reached the elven path, for she did not dare bring her into the woods.

They rode with haste towards the woods, and the closer they came, the more she could feel the darkness over the Greenwood. It was sickening, the life fading, and it made her feel sick. She jumped down of Starlight and told her to make her way towards Beorn's until she came back for her. The horse nodded her head in understanding and ran with great speed while the dwarves were still on their ponies.

"The elven gate," she heard Gandalf say.

She followed him and had to hold herself up by a tree. She felt power surge through her and the tree felt better at once. Startled she looked at the healthy tree beside her, which in turn made her feel better. She kept leaning on it.

"Here lies our path through Mirkwood," Gandalf then said.

"No sign of the orcs. We have luck on our side," Dwalin said and dismounted.

"Set the ponies loose," Calithilel said, before Gandalf had the chance to.

Gandalf nodded in agreement. "Let them return to their master," he said.

"This forest… feels… sick," Bilbo said. "As if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?"

"Not unless we go 200 miles north. Or twice that distance… south," Gandalf replied and went a little further in.

"You are right, Bilbo," Calithilel said to him. "The forest is sick. At least very large parts of it." She drew in a ragged breath.

"Are you alright, Calithilel?" Bilbo asked, concerned.

"Not really. It affects me in a bad way. It weakens me. For while I breathe around these sick trees, they are slowly healing, draining power and light from me," she explained.

Her explanation almost seemed to pain the hobbit and she tried to give him an encouraging smile. Sparkles trotted up beside her and rested his head against her.

She stumbled a little further in while Gandalf passed her and she breathed heavily. _Is this how it feels to die?_ she briefly wondered while she felt her soul trying to chase away the darkness of the nature around her. She did not even notice that the dwarves had started to follow her and that Gandalf was no longer amongst them.

"I must help the forest," she muttered. The path was clear in front of her. "Follow the path," she whispered and her left hand looked for Sparkles' head. She found him and petted him once. "Stay close," she whispered to him. She felt him agree with her.

"Calithilel, please do not walk so fast," Bilbo said at one point.

Her breathing was ragged and it was such heavy air. She knew that with each breath she breathed life into the sick surrounding trees and plants. Her steps slowed and she nearly collapsed. Oh, how tired she felt. She saw Bilbo take hold of her arm and the dwarves all sat down to rest. Her eyes closed and the next time she awoke she felt as if she had not rested at all. But the dwarves were all awake and it was time to keep moving.

She did not notice when she lost the dwarves. She had disappeared behind a bend, and the dwarves, clouded with the forest trying to fool their minds, lost their way and thought the path went elsewhere. She walked until she collapsed, following the right path, but the next time she awoke, she truly knew she had messed up. She had lost her company of dwarves and the hobbit.

"We must find them, Sparkles," she whispered urgently. Her mind was barely clear enough to make out the way where she last had noticed them. "We must stray from the path," she whispered, a little scared.

Walking between the other trees and away from the path, she reached into her powers to speed up the healing, making the closest cobwebs disappear with the darkness. She briefly thought she could make out sounds of the dwarves fighting, but she could not be sure. Maybe it was wishful thinking in this situation.

A yowl of pain beside her cleared her head at once when she felt Sparkles' pain run through her. She turned to the side with her sword drawn and saw the large spider that had just hurt her companion. She saw red and in rage, she cut through the creature of darkness, losing her backpack in the process. But another spider was on the way and it had its looks on her dog as well. She had dropped her sword and drew an arrow. It hit its mark and the spider laid dead. Sparkles whimpered and she could not hear or see any more spiders close. She looked down to her friend and silver tears gathered in her eyes. The poison in his system spread too fast and it was a deadly dose when it concerned the smaller animal. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Sparkles," she whispered and held her hands over him, trying to take the pain away. She wanted him to feel less of it while he faded. "I'm sorry I did not protect you," she cried. Her hands had a soft green glow as she held the pain away from him while the poison spread. But she also felt his feelings much clearer. He had protected her when the spider was aiming at her. He had protected her and he was glad he had managed. Now he could rest until he saw her again. "Oh my lovely little puppy," she whispered while he drew his last breath. Her hands stopped glowing and she screamed out.

"No!" she screamed. The tears blurred her vision and she could barely see, but she saw the creature of darkness that came close. New power surged through her and she picked up her sword, then she started slashing wildly around her until the spider was dead. A pulse of power went through her and was flung out of her with such force. The nearest trees, plants and earth, healed at once and she fell to her knees. Sobs wracked her body while she made her way over to Sparkles and she felt the grief so strongly.

" _Do not weep, child. Sparkles is safe with us, and he will be waiting for you in the Undying Lands. You will meet again. Do not let grief for this friend consume you. He is within your heart and rest assured that you will see him again_ ," Manwë told her in her head and she stared in wonder at her lifeless dog. She did not even notice the elf that made his way over to her.

The green earth underneath Sparkles opened up and welcomed his body. It then closed over him. Her tears fell quicker and some of them hardened and became silver pearls when hitting the ground. Her hands glowed. "Sparkles," she whispered again. Flowers started to sprout up from where Sparkles' body laid underneath. Familiar pink roses sprung out and she gasped.

"Never have I seen such a sight," the male elf said in wonder.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**


	6. Chapter 6

**This chap is about 3,800 words.**

 **Don't worry about me completing the story, I will, it might just take some. Not going to go into detail but I've been sick back and forth since last update and that has taken a lot of my time. Have not had much energies to write.**

 **Thank you so much guest reviewers and also non-guest reviewers ^^ Sorry about Sparkles, but it sadly had to happen. At least Calithilel will see him again someday :)**

 **Now, to the chap I've mostly looked forward to :D**

 **R &R! Enjoy! **

**Oh, and Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6:**

Calithilel spun and stood ready to defend herself, but the male elf in front of her seemed somewhat familiar. Without thinking she whispered, "Legolas?"

The male elf in question raised his brows. "How do you know my name?"

She stumbled a bit and took herself to her head. "Memories," she muttered.

" _Memories?_ " he asked. " _How can you have memories of me?_ "

" _Memories concerning the future,_ " she answered.

" _How did you do this?_ " he asked and gestured around them.

She briefly looked around and saw the healthy trees and plants. " _I was gifted,_ " she answered.

He seemed sceptic, but with her crestfallen look he seemed to think over something before he said, " _I'm sorry about your friend._ " He pointed to the rosebushes.

" _It is not your fault._ "

"I still feel for you," he said.

"Er, by the way, you haven't seen a band of dwarves?" she asked, knowing it would cause suspicion.

"Dwarves? You came with the dwarves?" he asked, a little harsh.

"Yes. We entered Greenwood together, but I lost them along the way," she admitted.

"How did an elf manage to loose so many dwarves?" Legolas asked, surprised.

"The forest affects me greatly. The sick parts."

"But you healed this little part."

"No, not only this part. Since I entered this forest I have been healing it as I have walked. But I will say no more. Take me to my friends," she demanded.

He frowned but said no more. He then made sure to strip her of her weapons, not thinking to look in her boots, and then he led her to her companions.

Fíli and Kíli were the first to notice her and when they were about to yell, "Ca-" She held her arms up and shook her head, making them silent.

"Where is Sparkles?" Fíli asked.

Calithilel paled. She swallowed while tears threatened to fall again. "He has passed on," she admitted, a bit shakily.

The two brothers stared at her wide-eyed and suddenly felt bad.

"It will turn out right, lass," Balin said, and gave her a concerned look.

"Yes, I will see him again," Calithilel agreed and nodded stiffly.

The elves surrounding them made her feel uneasy. Especially Legolas. She knew he was not her mate, that was for sure, but she still felt that another sort of connection was building up between the two of them. She briefly let herself study the other elves and then found the only one she could guess as Tauriel. However, Legolas was not following her with his every look as she maybe thought he would. No, instead, Tauriel was watching Kíli intensely; while Legolas kept his eyes on _her_ while she twinned a loose purple lock around one finger. And so they walked. The woods was healthier the closer they came to the gates and she started to breathe easier. When she saw the gates in front of her she stared in wonder at the beauty of it all, but at the same time she knew she would miss the healthy part of the forest, for it truly was a beautiful place and now it would be hidden from her.

Suddenly she remembered the letter her mother had given her before leaving and she reached a hand within her tunic and pulled it out. She handed it out to Legolas, but he did not notice. She sighed and tried with another elf. No one spared her a glance. "This is from the Lady Galadriel," she said, loud. It seemed to draw attention, and this time a guard took her letter. She rolled her eyes.

They walked through the large elven gates, and suddenly Calithilel started to wonder if she would be able to go out again. She had to hold in a gasp and keep her mouth from falling open in wonder, for the inside of the kingdom was great. She briefly wondered if she would lose her balance and fall down, or if it ever had happened to someone. What about children running over the paths without railings? Were they not unsafe? Of course she had to admit that they had not passed many elves upon entering, but from where she looked she understood it was a very large kingdom and they could be anywhere.

The guards led them until the dwarves stopped and she bumped into Dwalin. "Sorry," she whispered. "I wasn't looking," she then admitted. She kept turning her head, not really paying close attention. She did not even notice the other dwarves taken away from them. Or that she and Thorin were the only ones left. "This is certainly something," she muttered to herself.

"Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand," she heard the most beautiful voice say, but it was so far away. She kept looking around her, but never in front, also knowingly not showing respect to the king she knew was in front of her on his throne. She then heard steps of walking. "A quest to reclaim a homeland, and slay a dragon. I myself suspect a more prosaic motive. Attempted burglary. Or something of that ilk. You have found a way in."

Calithilel moved her head and stared right at the elven king. She met his cold blue eyes, she suddenly felt pained and she lifted a hand over her heart, which had started to beat faster. She knew she made a grimace as the pain worsened inside of her. She felt a longing she never had felt before upon looking at him. He did not seem faced.

The guard she had given the letter, interrupted the king and swiftly he read through. He threw the letter away and slowly it floated down to land on the ground. He continued. "You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule. The King's Jewel." She wanted to snort. "The Arkenstone. It is precious to you beyond measure. I understand that."

 _Why must he be so handsome, but such a jerk as well?_ she briefly thought. She knew. She knew _he_ was her mate, and in one way she could not understand _why_ or _how_.

"There are gems in the mountain that I too desire." She was not able to look away. "White gems of pure starlight. I offer you my help."

"I am listening," Thorin replied.

Calithilel raised a brow and looked at the dwarf.

"I will let you go, if you but return what is mine."

"A favor for a favor."

"You have my word. One king to another."

"I would not trust Thranduil, the great king, to honor his word, should the end of all days be upon me!"

 _I do feel a little invisible right now,_ she thought while watching.

"You! Who lack all honor! I have seen how you treat your friends. We came to you once, starving, homeless, seeking your help. But you turned your back! You turned away from the suffering of my people… and the inferno that destroyed us."

Calithilel sighed while Thorin spoke dwarvish. However she was startled when Thranduil moved fast and was up in Thorin's face. "Do not talk to me of dragon fire. I know its wrath and ruin." She watched while his skin on his left side became scarred and ruined, a burn from dragon fire, the illusion was… She had no words. She could see he was pained, but also angry. "I have faced the great serpents of the north." He pulled back and the illusion fell back in place. "I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon. But he would not listen." He turned and started to walk up the steps to his throne. "You are just like him." Guards took hold of Thorin. "Stay here if you will and rot. A hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an elf. I'm patient. I can wait."

Two guards were on the way over towards her and she was at once on guard, but then the king told them to leave her. She crossed her arms. "I will go where he goes," she said and pointed after the dwarf that was taken towards the dungeons.

He arose and took one step forward, and even if he was a little higher up than her and would probably not risk falling, she took one step back. It seemed to trigger the guards though and she had to react fast. She knew her daggers were still in her boots so she bowed down to retrieve them, and when she arose, she spun around. She was quick and lethal, like her mother had taught her to be, but at the same time she was not trying to kill the guards. Just take them out. She fought without thinking, her body doing the work to defend herself. Then when they were all on the floor not moving she straightened up and met the king's eyes. "I will walk myself after Thorin. Thank you," she said coldly and turned away. She hurried down after the guards who led a struggling Thorin, but that was also how she managed to find him. He was not exactly quiet. The two guards looked at her with surprise but she merely glared.

The guard threw Thorin in first and then searched her for more weapons. He did find her two daggers. "Don't lose them," she said coldly while being led to another cell. The guard opened the cell door and then attempted to push her in. She hissed. "Do that again and I will cut off your hand," she threatened. Then she bowed down under the arch and went into the cell. Almost at once she sat down. The exhaustion great. She closed her eyes. She barely heard Balin ask if she was all right before asking Thorin if the king had offered them a deal, but she was gone to the world and was not able to answer.

* * *

She awoke with the feeling that someone was staring at her. Startled she backed a little away, just to see Legolas and four other guards. She raised her brows. "The king wants to give you a chance to see more of the kingdom," he said. His voice did not betray anything.

"And if I refuse?" she asked, challenging him.

"Then one of your dwarf friends will lose their lives." A guard threatened.

Her eyes narrowed. "Fine," she gritted out of her teeth and stood. The guards surrounded her, but Legolas took lead. She looked back at the cells, feeling hopeless.

"Calithilel!" she heard Kíli yell.

"Where are you taking her?" Thorin asked angrily.

They got no answer and she bit her lip from shouting out in rage. How dare these elves do this? She just felt so angry, and the emotion was so strong, almost similar to when she lost Sparkles. His near and sudden loss was still close to her heart and her anger died down. Instead, sadness took over once more and she had no will to fight.

"We are here," Legolas said and made her look up.

She had not paid attention to where she was going and she mentally slapped herself. "What do you mean `we are here´?" she asked sharply.

"Get her in," one guard said.

Suddenly she was pushed through an arch and then a door closed behind her. She was not fast enough to react, and when she spun around she understood she had just been moved to another sort of prison. Defeated she turned and fell to the floor, but the room shocked her more than anything. A large bed stood in the middle of the room. A dresser, with a brush, a small mirror and a vase with flowers on top, had been pushed against the wall in front of the bed. Another door. She hurried up and went to try the door. It did budge, but inside was a folding screen and a tub, also a closet. Another door. Curious she crept closer. It would not budge. Angrily she kicked the door and screamed with newfound anger. She turned back to the room with the large bed just to stop.

"What is your name?"

She knew Thranduil really wanted to know, but it gave her more pleasure to not share it with him. She smirked and leaned against the frame. "Did my mother not say in the letter?" she asked.

"Your human name was Silver, but she said I had to discover your elven name myself."

He did not seem happy with her mother. She chuckled. "If you think I will share my name with you, you are greatly mistaken," she said coldly. His eyes were filled with such anger and she had to hold herself in place to not react.

"Do you know whose bed this belongs to?" he asked with a smirk.

She narrowed her eyes.

"I know you feel it strong within, just as I feel it too."

"It should not have been possible," she grit out.

"Yet it is."

She started to laugh. "Bringing me to your bedroom will not make me mate with you. What a fool you must be!" she added the last part with anger lacing her tone. "I just lost a dear friend in your cursed forest. If you think this so called gesture of kindness will have me mate with you… Oh, you are so wrong! I rather stay in the dungeon!"

The king masked his anger well, and then he seemed to smile. "The dungeons is exactly what you want. No, I will not let you return. Even if you will not mate with me at present time, you will come around. You will stay in this room and a maid will bring you food when it's time." He chuckled to himself and turned towards the doors. "Open up!" he ordered.

Four guards were outside the door and she sighed. So no hope for escaping now then. She sat down on the floor and loosened her braid, and while she tried to remove some dirt, a knock sounded quiet against the door.

"My lady? My name is Taenil, I am here with some food and drink."

"You may just come in, it's not like I have a choice," Calithilel answered, bitter in tone.

The door opened and the female elf went straight to the dresser and placed the tray. She turned to her and gasped upon meeting her eyes. But remembering her place she looked down and away.

"Nice to meet you, Taenil," she said softly and arose.

The female looked up again. She bowed. "Do you wish for a bath?" she then asked.

"Please look at me," Calithilel said softly, not liking this behavior. She was not treated like this back in Lórien. The female looked up and she met her green eyes. She smiled. "I would love a bath."

Taenil smiled and bowed again. "We will lock the bath door and when it is ready I will come for you," she said.

Calithilel frowned. So more waiting then. She simply nodded and watched Taenil's back while she exited the room. Her long and brown hair swaying while she walked. Her frown deepened. She heard a door lock and she already knew which it was, and soon she heard movement and water being poured. She knew hobbits, elves and dwarves had plumbing to a certain extent, but it was still not the same as the world she came from. Oh, how she suddenly longed for a shower. She sighed and closed her eyes.

A door opening had her eyes open quickly. Taenil peeked her head inside from the bathing room. She smiled towards her. "Your bath is ready, my lady," she said.

"Please call me Silver for now, Taenil. My lady feels too formal."

Taenil blushed but nodded. "Here, let me help you with your tunic," she then said and made attempt to reach her.

Calithilel jumped away from the female. "I'm sorry Taenil, but I'm used to dress and care for myself. I would very much like to be left alone with my bath," she said and stared into the bathing room and at the dress that had been hung up for her. "Er, by the way, did the guards find any backpack in the woods? It contained my clothes."

Taenil seemed to think and then she frowned. "Is the dress not to your liking?" Worry laced her tone.

Calithilel shook her head. "I do not wear dresses. I only wear a nightdress at times that I made myself, but it is back in Lórien. This is my usual set," she said and gestured to her clothes.

Taenil's eyes widened. "I-I will go ask the guards, but I cannot promise anything. It will also take some time to make a new outfit."

Calithilel saw Taenil leave through the door in the bathing room and she sighed when the door locked behind her. She wriggled out of her dirty clothes then and threw them close to the door. She had a sinking feeling she would not see them again. She then lowered herself into the warm water and let it cover her. She breathed out. Oh, how long it had been since she had a proper bath. _Not since Rivendell,_ she thought and relaxed. When the water started to cool down she took to scrubbing herself and she used the soap bar in her hair as well as on her body. When rinsed and clean she arose and stretched after the white sheet that laid folded on a chair close to the tub. She stepped outside and wrapped it around her.

She walked back into the bedroom and stopped when she saw the food and drink that still stood untouched. She had refrained from eating, in case they would drug her. But then again, would her mate, her chosen, her one, truly drug her? It would for sure not win her over. Skeptically she made her way over to the dresser and raised the goblet with water. She took one sip. Nothing seemed strange and out of order. She emptied it. She did not feel different and reached for the food on her plate. A strange scent entered her nostrils and she backed away. It was in the food.

"Why?" she whispered angrily and her fists clenched.

Knocking. "It is me, Taenil," Taenil said through the door.

"Come in," Calithilel answered and sat down on the bed. It was so soft and too tempting, but she did not lay down.

Taenil seemed surprised when she walked in, but she glanced once towards the plate on the dresser and she seemed to understand. "You are not starving. Therefore, you smelled the drug," she said, realization dawning on her.

Calithilel nodded. "You may tell your king that it takes more to drug me. I will not eat and I might not drink again before I am freed," she said.

Taenil paled. She hurried to the door and peeked her head out. It did not take long before Legolas came striding in.

The two females stared at the prince in shock. Had he not noticed her state of dress? She was only wrapped inside her sheet.

He frowned. "You are not dressed," he stated.

"You don't say," Calithilel answered and rolled her eyes.

"I was asked to escort you to the throne room, but it would seem to be a problem." He almost smiled.

"I do not wear dresses, end of story. If I am to wear one in the future sometime it will be one I have made myself. One that is easy to get on and off by myself. One that is simple in look and easy to move around in."

Legolas chuckled. "Father will not be pleased."

Calithilel crossed her arms. "Your father can go to hell," she said angrily.

The two other elves raised their brows, but Taenil was quicker to ask. "What is this hell?"

Calithilel could not help but smile at the elf. "Sorry, it's an earthly thing. Dear Legolas, tell your father that he can shove it."

Legolas had changed again and he looked at her coldly. "I will rely your message, but he will not take it lightly."

"No, I bet not."

Both elves left her and exhaustion came upon her again. A sudden feel of pain shot through her and she fell to the floor and landed on her knees. In a brief moment she thought she felt someone else within her soul, and it could only be her intended mate. He had been in pain and it had reflected in her. But now she no longer felt him. Her heart had started to beat faster. _Of all the elves it had to be him!_ she thought and dragged herself up. She climbed on top of the sheets. Her hair was humid and the sheet covering her was not very dry.

She felt so confused. She had dreamed about finding her mate in this land, but now… _I should have been careful with what I wished for_. She sighed and rolled on her back, one arm rested over her eyes. He was so frustrating! She knew he was definitely not the man of her dreams, but it had to be a reason their souls belonged together? Maybe it was a sick joke, but the Vala had said she would find happiness. _But how can I find it with him?_ Her eyes teared and one silver pearl fell on the bed. Other silver tears fell as well, but they only made her hair wet where they landed.

She wiped her cheeks and sniffed. Oh, she was acting so stupidly. Nevertheless, she had a mission. She had to reach the mountain, no matter what.

Sudden memories from her world about barrel-riding, Laketown and Bilbo meeting the dragon and up to the dragon Smaug's fall, filled her. She briefly wondered why, but realization filled her. She would not be seeing her friends before after the dragon was killed. No matter how hard she tried to escape. For some reason her own adventure awaited her until she would reach the dwarves once more. Regret filled her. She should have put up more of a fight when Legolas and the guards came to retrieve her. Now she for sure knew that Bilbo would not be able to find her and had to go without her, no matter what. She briefly wondered what the elves would tell the company about her whereabouts. She doubted they would say much though, for they thought the dwarves would stay for a while. She briefly crossed her fingers and hoped the feast of starlight was closer than she thought, for then they would get their chance.

She turned to the side and closed her eyes. She knew she was exhausted and needed the rest. Her body needed it. So she let herself sleep, and for the first time in a while she slept soundly and she had no sad dreams. No nightmares. Only a feeling of being loved.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**


	7. Chapter 7

**This chap is about 2,600 words. Thank you all reviewers, those that fav and follows. I'm going for a trip to Italy tomorrow so I won't write much before I am home again (not bringing my laptop), but for now there is this chapter.**

 **R &R! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7:**

Calithilel woke up from feeling unusual warmth. Her eyes shot open and she stared right at another body. Shock filled her as she stared at the king in her bed – well, technically it was his – and she had to hold herself from shrinking away from him and falling off the bed. She was more covered than she had been, a thick blanket was now covering her, while the white sheet was missing. She narrowed her eyes while looking at him. But what could she do? She did not have her clothes, and she refused to wear a dress.

She snuck out of bed and made her way to the bathing room door. Carefully she opened it and hurried inside. She went straight for the closet and opened the doors. _Of course, it had to be his clothes,_ she thought sourly. However, after looking some she found a white robe that she pulled over her head. Covered she went back into the room and tiptoed over to the other door. She glanced once at Thranduil but he seemed asleep. A small smile graced her lips and she tried to push the door open. It budged. She peeked out but there were no guards.

"Their first mistake," she whispered and stepped out. Then she ran.

She had no idea where she ran. Inside her she felt like a string wanted to drag her back towards Thranduil, but she would not have it. She did not pay much attention to where she ran and she certainly did not expect to run straight into a red-haired _elleth_.

"Oof." She fell to her butt and the other female did the same. For a moment the two just stared at each other. "Tauriel! I'm so sorry!" she then gushed, much without thinking. _Crap!_ she then thought.

Tauriel's eyes narrowed. "You're supposed to be in the dungeons!" she accused. "How did you escape?!"

Both females were back standing, but Tauriel had weapons, Calithilel not. "Yes. The dungeons," Calithilel said slowly. _She has not been informed that I was moved?_

"How did you escape?" Tauriel asked again, drawing her sword and pointing it at her neck.

"Tauriel!"

Legolas' voice made Calithilel turn, not thinking of the blade pressed to her neck. She felt a sting, but ignored it.

" _My lord, Legolas. This prisoner has escaped the dungeons._ "

" _No, she has not escaped the dungeons. She was moved to my father's room. That is where she made her escape._ " His eyes narrowed while looking at Calithilel.

"He has no right to keep me in there!" Calithilel said angrily. "I refuse to share a room with him!"

"He told me you are mates," Legolas said with raised brows.

"How is that possible?" Tauriel gasped.

Calithilel shrugged. "Well, I don't like him, and I'm leaving."

Tauriel and Legolas' eyes drifted to her neck and they both winced. In reflex, she took to her neck and felt a lot of liquid. She moved her hand and saw all the blood. She swallowed. "Er, do you have any healers here that could stitch me up first?" she asked a bit hesitantly. "Before you lock me up again…" She started to feel dizzy. The robe she was wearing had soaked up a lot of blood and she wondered how much she had lost. How sharp had that blade even been? She briefly wondered about that while Legolas took to leading her. Her sight wavered and she stumbled, falling into him. "Sorry," she whispered. Her sight clouded briefly with black dots and she grunted with annoyance. She had to keep walking.

"Legolas, I think you should carry her," Tauriel suggested. "She is barely able to walk on."

Power and anger went through Calithilel and she knew Thranduil had awoken. She also knew he could feel her, even if it was a weak link between them. However, she knew he was approaching her, though still far away. It sounded like guards storming the place close to the area they were in, and Legolas sent Tauriel to inform them of what had occurred and where she was being led. She stumbled again and cursed. She took her hand to her neck. Her stress made her heart beat faster and to pump more blood through her system. She groaned and fell to her knees. "I cannot see," she moaned and tried to reach for anything in front of her.

Suddenly she felt Legolas through her emotions, through a different link of sorts. He was worried about her and tried to calm her down with his feelings.

 _My connection with souls_ , she realized. It did not only work on animals, but also people close to her, in a sense. Since Thranduil was her mate, and Legolas his son, it was natural for her to feel him, even if she was not his mother and did not know him well yet, or at least so she guessed.

" _I will carry you,_ " she heard Legolas whisper.

Frantic she held out both arms and he lifted her up. She heard an angry roar and shouts coming closer. She had no energy to open her eyes again or respond. She felt herself go limp in Legolas' arms, and then she simply floated.

* * *

When Calithilel awoke, she knew it had passed enough days. She briefly heard two elves talking about a recent escape from the dwarves, and that both Tauriel and Legolas had gone after them. It put questions towards their king, especially when it concerned both his son and the captain of the guard, both had defied his orders and gone after the dwarves, for the youngest had been badly wounded. At least within her heart she knew Kíli would be alright. She then tried to turn but could not even lift a finger. She groaned. She felt hands on her. Warm hands trying to calm her down. She drifted again.

The next time she awoke, she blinked. She could see clearly again and she was looking straight into familiar blue eyes. They were not as cold as they had been the last time she had looked into them, this time they shone with worry. She bit back any comments that might have wanted to escape her lips. Her lips barely parted.

"Do not speak. You need rest." His voice was not as cold as she had expected it to be and her eyes widened at the soft tone.

"Where…" she whispered.

He raised a brow. "Where you are?"

She nodded.

"In the healing wing." He looked away and towards the opening of the room. "Some of my guards found something belonging to you in the woods. Also they discovered that parts of the woods had healed, where it should have been sick."

Her eyes closed, but when she opened them she nearly burst out laughing, and she would have had it not been for her pain. Thranduil was holding one of her bras with a strange expression.

"Several of these were found in the bag. Something matching as well and I can only guess it is some sort of undergarment, but I've never seen anything like it."

She giggled, not able to help herself. A hand raised to her throat and she frowned.

"Do not strain yourself. The stitches might reopen."

"My clothes?" she asked, still not able to raise her voice higher.

"They are in place in your bag."

She breathed out.

He arose and she stared at him. In a way she did not want him to go, but at once as the thought passed she pushed it away and closed her eyes. He told her to rest and then he left, leaving her with her own thoughts. For how long would she be trapped to this bed?

The answer came sooner than she thought, for already the second day, one of the healers and Taenil came to help her up and out of the bed. They followed her to all too familiar quarters and she tried to stop and wrestle her way from the two, but she was still healing and a bit weak and she ended up glaring at the two elves when they left her in Thranduil's room. With a sigh she sat down on the bed, feeling too weak to do much else. Anger coursed through her and she stood with determination. How dared they? The feeling of dizziness made her sway and she felt herself fall back towards the bed. She grunted upon impact. The wound was close to being almost completely healed, although, it was a day or two left.

Her eyes landed on her backpack and she turned on the bed. Carefully she stretched her left arm towards it and took hold. She went through it with surprise. The Vala had given her more of her own underwear that she was comfortable with using. She giggled to herself when remembering the first time she discovered she had a part of her own clothes with her and the seamstress' curiosity on the garment in Lórien. Hurriedly she managed to wriggle her way out of the gown she wore. She strapped on her favorite bra and then with surprise she found her nightdress. The first one she made after arriving in Middle-earth. A soft smile graced her lips while she pulled it over her head. One of the arms were a tiny bit longer then the other, but that was the charm. It was her first after all and she did not have heart to part with it. She lowered the backpack back to the floor and closed it tight. "He better not go through my stuff again," she muttered and lifted her legs so she could cover them under the blanket.

She wondered what she could do and how to make her escape. First of all she had to get better, that was priority. But when her wound was healed she had to make sure that she kept a clear head. She knew how she could escape, the question was a bit more like how would she manage it? She would have to play a little nicer to Thranduil. The thought made her gag. That man knew how to get under her skin! Well, elf would be the correct term, she reminded herself. She crept more under the covers and stared at the roof. It was no point in being too difficult when she needed this rest. She closed her eyes.

* * *

Thranduil stormed through the castle towards his quarters. The female, Silver as he only knew her by, had been moved to his room and he was determined to learn more about her. The sudden fear of losing her had caught up to him after she had been wounded, and so easily too. He did not know he could feel such fear again, but losing his former wife did not compare to losing Silver. She was his second chance and he never imagined to feel such a strong connection. Stronger than ever and they were not even mated.

He carefully opened the door and looked inside with caution. She was asleep and he felt himself breathe out unexpectedly. He stepped inside and closer to the bed. Her light shone brightly while her chest rose and fell steadily. Just two days past her light had almost dimmed out, and now he watched while her light only grew in brightness as she slept. Yes, she was healing well and he would have to be on guard around her. She was sneaky, but at the same time he could not blame her. One part of him wanted to keep her close and out of harm's way forever. Another part of him knew she could take care of herself just fine and that she would get more angry with him if he tried to keep her locked up. It was a step he would have to take, and whether he was ready or not was not an option. He could simply not lose her.

Sitting beside her only made him more curious about her. She was something indeed, but yet a stranger. He had not known he would ever share a part of himself with her, but when she was on the verge of dying, he shared a bit of his light with her. It had helped, more than he expected, but he wondered what the consequences would be. After all, he could already feel the bond between them growing stronger.

He had to protect her. That was his strongest desire as of now. Ever since she had ended up in the healing quarters, he had mostly stayed by her side. He had a lot of time to think, but most of the time he was only present with his mind cleared. He was unsure of what to do with Legolas. He would always worry for his son, but as of now, the _elleth_ on his bed was his biggest worry. He knew Legolas could care for himself. What about this Silver? She had proved herself capable enough, so how did she manage to get so easily hurt? A silly mistake had Legolas called it. But he had felt such rage over his mate being hurt that the strong emotion almost was overwhelming. He felt his chest tighten a little. It was not for a king to cry or feel the need to cry like he was now, but yet he sat with misty eyes. He did not shed any tears for he knew she was safe and out of danger.

He stretched out a hand and took her right one in his. A tiny part of him was amused that she had chosen to lay down on his usual side, while another one a little annoyed. He squeezed her hand lightly and let go. Arising from his position he suddenly felt angry. Angry that she could stir up such a mess of emotions within him. Though at the same time he could not truly be angry with her. No, he was angry with himself. For he had let this happen. He had let himself feel open to this new _elleth_ in his life. He had shared a part of himself with her. So who was she to come and change how things were? Why did she test his patience?

" _She has a strong free will, Thranduil._ _"_ the voice inside his head startled him. It was so faint that he was not completely sure if he had heard right. It was without doubt a male voice. A powerful one.

He opened the door and looked one last time behind himself before shaking his head. She was not his former wife. She had been sweet, kind, fierce when needed, but also opposed him at times, and he had loved her greatly. This _elleth_ was determined to fight him for some reason and he wanted to figure out why. She was almost hostile in her ways towards him, while at other times he could almost feel the concern she had for him. That underneath it all she did care for him.

 _Strong free will,_ he thought over once more while sitting on his throne. She was of another world. Different upbringing than the elves, though she had learned the ways of the elves. For one to have lived with the Lady Galadriel though, and not being able to speak with the dwarves. Yes, he had noticed her lack of understanding and he wondered why that was. There was simply so many questions to be answered but so little time. It was only a matter of time now that the dragon would awake and he had to keep his people safe as well as his second chance of a one. How could he convince her to stay without sounding forceful?

Thranduil did not notice the quiet warning in the back of his head from Manwë, and maybe he should have tried to listen to him, for the _elleth_ in his room had a task to complete.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**


	8. Chapter 8

**This chap is about 3,100 words. Thank you all reviewers, those that fav and follows, it means a lot, and I'm sorry it has taken so long to get this out, but my health as usual has been a big reason to why I haven't written much. But at least it is here now.**

 **R &R! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8:**

Calithilel woke up alone and she frowned. Beside her on the bed were a plate with food and she carefully smelled it. _Normal,_ she thought and started to eat slowly. She wondered what the day or maybe even _days_ would bring. What would she do in this huge underground place? Away from the stars and away from the trees. She wondered briefly if Thranduil would let her see the trees and their condition. She knew from a little loud gossip around the place that some elves still lived in the forest. But it was a healthy part of it, one that was not sick yet. And somehow they had managed to keep that place. She had also noticed the part where they had said that a lot of guards guarded the forest there.

 _I wonder what it is like there,_ she briefly wondered, curious about the little village in the trees, though it was said to be very different from Lórien.

Startled she lost the tray that had rested in her lap when Thranduil strode into the room. She had been too deep in thought to even notice him coming. The tray fell and down to the floor where it made enough noise and she automatically covered her ears. It seemed her healing process had made her a bit extra sensitive to sound. She took herself in glaring at the king and then had to remind herself to play nice. She smoothed out her expression so he could not read much from her, except her emotions now and then.

He stared, but then seemed to remember what he was doing and he too was blank. She could barely even _feel_ him.

"I'm fine." Confusion. "I mean, I feel fine," she then said and gave a small smile, hoping to make him speak.

"I can feel that," he answered and raised a brow.

"Gee, don't be a statue at all." She rolled her eyes.

He tilted his head. "Why is it that you so easily manage to annoy me?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Don't ask me."

He sighed and then said, "I want you to walk with me."

She almost snorted. "Walk with _you_? Why?"

"You rather stay in here?" he asked and looked around the room.

She stood hurriedly and went straight to her backpack. "Just give me a moment to get dressed and I'll be right with you." She disappeared into the bathing room and nearly threw on her clothes. When she was dressed, she briefly looked in the mirror and saw her untied hair. She dragged one hand through it. _What to do?_ she silently asked herself. She looked in the bag again and found exactly what she had wished for, she then exited after tying her hair into a ponytail,. "Ready!" she said happily.

The king did not answer her; instead he turned his back towards her and walked out the door. One guard held it open and seemed to wait for her to exit as well. Remembering that she could actually follow without being stopped she hurried after the king.

"You seem rather impressed with these halls," he suddenly said.

"Yeah…I mean, how did you even manage to build this place? Aren't you supposed to live in the woods?" She was fishing, and he knew it.

"In other words you want to know why I do not live in the forest." She nodded. His face had hardened and a shadow seemed to cross, but as fast as it had been there, it went away again. "This is the safer place," he muttered.

"But still you try to protect your people that chose to stay out there. And then there's the spider problem." She was almost careless when uttering the words, but she had prepared for the kings' glare and did not even flinch when he turned towards her. "If you had taken them out by their source-"

"Enough!"

It was enough to keep her silent but her eyes narrowed and she glared at the king in turn. Two could play this time around. They were out in the open and no guards were even close.

"Enough with your games! What are you playing at? What do you want? Why did you come here?" he asked, anger lacing his voice, but underneath it all was a small vulnerability.

"I did not choose to be in here," she answered. "You are the one keeping me here."

"And with right!"

"What right? Just that we are mates? It means nothing as long as you try to rule over me! I did not ask for you! I wanted a mate who would care about me and treat me as an equal. Not this… Not this at all. I came here with the dwarves for I have my own quest to complete. There is a dragon out there, waiting to wake up. Darkness is coming, Thranduil, and I do not even know if I will be able to save myself." The last part was but a whisper, but the message was clear enough and seemed to pain the king more than he would admit.

"I won't let you leave this place," was his only answer, and then he turned and walked away from her.

She screamed after him. "I who finally thought we had come to an understanding!" _No more fights,_ she thought. She fell to her knees while fresh and angry tears fell. Some turning into silver pearls. _I must find a way out,_ she then thought and sniffed.

Taenil came walking towards her and surprise filled the female. "Silver, what are you doing here, alone?" she asked.

Calithilel wiped her eyes and arose. "It seems I am a bit lost." She chuckled. "I am allowed to roam around, am I not?" Taenil nodded. "But somehow I did not pay attention to where I went."

"Oh! It's alright! I'll show you the way back," Taenil said happily.

Calithilel nodded grateful to the other female and together they started walking in silence. The silence did not last for long though, for Taenil seemed happy to talk to her about the escape from the dwarves and the scandal that Legolas and Tauriel had gone after them. She also expressed her worry over the future, for if the dragon was awakened and not killed, how would it go with them all?

Back in the room she shared with Thranduil she sat down on the floor while leaning her head on the bed. Yes, how would it all play out? Although, she knew the dragon would be killed. The dwarves _and_ Bilbo would be ok. The question was how would she get to them?

* * *

The next two days was spent in silence when it came to Calithilel and Thranduil, neither said a word to each other, and they barely spent time together, except when they slept, and even then she made it hard for him. Sometimes she pretended that she was dreaming and twisted and turned and once kicked an angry king out of the bed, but of course, to her defense, she had been `asleep´. If the king saw through her those times, he did not tell her on it.

Enough was enough, she had decided. She could not bear to not talk with him, and that said something. She silently scolded herself already for feeling too deeply for him, when she in one way barely knew him at all. They sat together, eating in the endless silence and she betted that if anyone dropped a needle, it would have been heard. She could hear herself breathing, _that_ was almost too much… She shook her head and stared into the kings' eyes. He stared back, but he did not seem affected. She sighed and stuffed her mouth one more time and then put the fork away. "Thranduil," she started.

"King Thranduil, Lord Thranduil would of course work as well," he interrupted.

"You never corrected me before," she challenged and raised a brow while showing a small smile.

"I should have," he mumbled, but she heard.

"Anyway, as I was saying… Thranduil, no no, wait, _My Lord_ Thranduil."

"Now you're mocking me."

 _Yes, clearly annoyed,_ she thought. _But better than silence._ "I was wondering if you please could take me out to see the trees?"

"No."

"But I can heal more of the forest!" she protested.

"So you can run away?" he asked, his expression full of anger but also worry.

"I won't run, I swear. I can even swear on my life! I just want to see the condition, aaaaaand maybe a little of the forest village."

He sighed and seemed to think on it, then he breathed out heavily. "If I let you see a little of the sick forest now, can you bear with that for now?" he asked.

"Really?" Her eyebrows rose. One part of her wanted to argue and refuse that little offer, but at the same time that was unreasonable, he was stretching towards a `yes´. He nodded. "I can live with that," she said excited and grinned.

It seemed to startle the king and a small smile slipped past him as well. He quickly recovered and straightened up. "We may go soon, let me just call some guards."

She nodded and stood.

The gates opened and Calithilel stared out in wonder, well aware that several guards kept their eyes closely on her. Thranduil too, stood close, so close that she could feel him breathe. She stretched and breathed in the fresh air. The part in front of her looked peaceful and quiet. Healthy. Birds chirped close and she smiled.

"Let us walk," Thranduil said quietly, but she heard and took the first step.

While walking forward she soon understood that the forest was worse off than she first imagined. She stopped by a tree and closed her eyes. She felt the sickening energy and her other hand shot out and held onto the tree. _Not good,_ she thought while a hand landed on her shoulder. She opened her eyes again and looked into Thranduil's eyes. "They should start healing now," she whispered. She regained her balance and took off into another direction, away from the path they currently were on, but she could not only heal the pathway. Not even ten minutes had passed when she fell to her knees in exhaustion.

 _I wonder,_ she thought and braced herself for the pain. She let healing energy shoot out from her like the day when Sparkles had died. She felt it like a wave coming from within, spreading, healing. Gasps. She focused harder, but she knew, it was too much and she fell over, panting.

"Silver, stay with me!" She barely heard Thranduil, but it was his voice, no doubt. "You pushed yourself too hard, you stupid child," he scolded.

"I'm not a child," she managed to mumble out.

"That is for me to decide, not you."

"Noooo," she dragged out tiredly. "Not."

"You cannot see my people like this," he told her.

"I know," she sighed. _But I had to help_.

And she had. The healing energy of the earth had already begun to spread around them. As the king carried her, they saw changes. The range was big, but very exhausting on her. He could see that. He shook his head. For in the days following, she would push on and keep helping the forest. And to the healthy parts the spiders would not come back. It took time though before Calithilel managed to reach the little village without exhausting herself on the way, for the king had agreed to let her out every day. But as the days passed it was clear how strong-willed she was, though in this matter he did not stop her, for he was also very curious about what she could do.

The day came when Calithilel entered one of the trees close to the village, and she was unsure of what to say. It was just a small part of it, but the trees were healthy. Guards were everywhere. There were barely any roofs!

"What do you do when it rains?" she wondered.

"Half is covered and half is not, for we like the stars the most," Thranduil simply answered.

 _What?_ she thought and then looked at the rope bridges between the houses in the trees. Or well, more like half houses and then flat wood. "So they just take their beds onto the free space and then sleep?"

Thranduil rolled his eyes, it was not very revealing, but she had noticed. "I might show you sometime," was all he answered.

" _Really_?"

The return made it all more interesting. Thranduil seemed less on guard around her when they now were out and she wondered if that was how she could plan her escape, even if the thought made a piercing pain in her chest, for he could not know and she did everything in her power to block him when she thought about it. She could not be careless. She _had_ to reach the dwarves, especially before the battle started. However, it was one question standing. Would her standing with the dwarves…? She shuddered. She did not want to think how he would see her, or how the dwarves eventually would see her. What if they all would think of her as an actress? She had not lied, just not told the whole truth, right? Nevertheless, the fury would come. From which sides and from whom she could easily imagine. Would they thank her in the end or be mad at her. Would she have to go lonely back to Lórien for the rest of her days, or would she simply be gone again?

"I want to call you out on something," Thranduil suddenly said, while they walked in his halls.

"And what is that?"

"You knowledge, or should I say lack of it when it comes to Khuzdul, how is that? I would have thought that the Lady of Light would have taught you, especially since she thinks of you as her daughter."

Calithilel grimaced. This was not something she enjoyed talking about, for indeed Galadriel had tried.

"You really don't know?" he asked surprised.

"No, I mean yes! But, er…it's complicated."

He raised a brow. "How so?"

"My brain won't take it?" she tried to joke, but the king looked at her seriously. She shrugged. "She tried, but even if I heard her and tried to learn it, it just wouldn't stick. A higher power probably meant I was not supposed to know. I can't know everything you know." The last part she tried to joke, but the king did not seem to take it. She shrugged again. "I don't mind though. Not too many are supposed to know it."

" _Yet you speak like us._ "

" _I'm an elf, am I not?_ " she replied.

" _Though once human_."

He turned away from her and started walking. _What?_ she kept thinking. She had not expected that. Was her being previous human suddenly a problem? There had to be more to these secrets and these questions.

" _Do not forget your true path, Calithilel_ ," Manwë's voice rung in her head.

"Right," she whispered.

* * *

She escaped. She had managed to escape! And while running through the forest she felt the pain when separating herself from Thranduil. They had managed to become civil and even some questions answered, there were still a lot she wondered about, for she truly wanted to know him. Not just be his mate and that was it.

The thrill was there as she heard guards in the distance but the wind was with her and pushing her faster forward. She was quick. Plus she had managed to steal a sword and a bow when getting away. It wasn't completely planned, but Thranduil had been busy and she had convinced Taenil to come with her on her little walk. Even with six guards she took them out. She first knocked Taenil unconscious, for she did not want her to get any blame, but she had been the first to awake and sound the alarm. So here she was, but eventually she did lose the other guards and only rage could be felt within her, though not her own.

Evening fell upon the lands and in the distance she heard a gruesome sound. She stood high enough to see flames engulf a city and then the dragon fall.

She breathed hard, knowing she would have to hurry and find one of the dwarves, so they then could go together to Erebor.

Thranduil was not happy. He thought he had started to understand this Silver. That he could trust her a little more to be on her own, but how wrong had he been. He did not know how she had managed to block him off from her scheming to get away. She had managed, and in that moment he swore he had heard a voice telling him ` _What did I say?_ ´ He was certain he imagined it, but at the same time he started to doubt. Was someone talking to him inside his head? As the Lady Galadriel could? This voice was male, so maybe… No, he did not have time to ponder over this. His mate, his second chance at happiness had managed to get away. How could he get her back? He thought they had come to an understanding. Of course it could be wishful thinking on his part, but he had hoped so strongly. Hope. It seemed such a strong word to use.

He had called on his guards to go after her, but eventually they returned with news. She had escaped faster than they could imagine and eventually they had to stop just to see flames. The dragon had awakened. Then so came other news as well. The dragon had fallen. While sitting on his throne waiting for things to play out, waiting for earth shattering news that his kingdom was more in danger than ever, things had worked out. Now a mountain with treasure, especially one treasure he wanted, was open for the taking. And now, he could not just let it stay unprotected, could he? Then it was his mate. She was there somewhere. What she wanted with the dwarves and the treasure remained to be seen.

Calithilel saw in early dawn the fire dying down on the water. The screaming was worse than she could imagine. Thranduil had managed to close off his emotions and she was not sure what to think. She tried not to wrinkle her nose every time she smelled burnt flesh or the smoke from the fire. It was all too real, and she had not been there to help. A trace of blonde hair made hope fill her and other emotions opened up in her. She felt relieved. Legolas was safe.

 _How absurd to feel this way_ , she thought.

He turned towards her, surprise clear in his blue eyes, but they seemed to understand each other. With one nod her way he disappeared from her reach, and she could go on.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**


	9. Chapter 9

**This chap is about 3,600 words. Thank you all reviewers, those that fav and follows, it keeps me motivated to write (at least when I'm able to). For some few weeks now I will have a tight schedule, and I'm not entirely sure when I will get time to write, but at least this is another chap ;)**

 **R &R! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9:**

"Fíli, Kíli?" Calithilel yelled, recognizing the two dwarves. To say they were relieved to see her was an understatement. In excitement and forgetting that they were amongst others, they happily yelled her name and hurried to hug her. She felt within her mind and soul that Legolas had caught it before leaving. He knew now, but she was also certain that he would keep it for himself, for now. Thranduil would not know.

"Calithilel, we have a boat, let's go!" Fíli yelled and hurried towards him.

Briefly she noticed Legolas close, had he not left yet after all? Then she saw Tauriel and understood. He was waiting for her. She then saw Kíli talk to her and she hurried over to the boat and got in.

"It was time," Fíli joked.

"Say that to your brother," she answered and laughed upon his expression.

Óin, Bofur and Fíli pushed the boat a bit out while she happily sat safe, and grinned at the three dwarves. Were they happy about it? Not so much, but it made it so much funnier.

"You know I can help," Calithilel offered after they had pushed off from the shore.

"No, no," Kíli insisted.

"We think you've been through enough," Bofur said and looked down.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"Well, you were trapped…" Kíli pointed out.

"Oh!" She bit her lip. "I'm fine though."

"Did they hurt you?" Fíli asked.

"Not by purpose. I kind of hurt myself." She frowned and the dwarves looked at her strangely. "The first time I was being foolish, and the other times? I would say the same, but at the same time I was healing part of the forest, making it better, so I _had_ to."

"You look tired," Óin pointed out.

She snorted.

After reaching shore again it was time to walk, and on unsteady feet she almost (just almost) fell out of the boat. Quickly she managed to find balance and started to follow the dwarves, just a bit weary. What would await them in the mountain? She did not have to wait all too long, for she got her answer. Entering the huge mountain, her mouth fell open. It was spectacular! She still had to admit that she preferred the elven kingdom in the caves that belonged to Thranduil, but this was not bad, not bad at all.

Suddenly they heard the voice of Bilbo and stopped. He yelled, "Wait!" A short pause. "Wait!"

"It's Bilbo!" Óin said happily.

"He's alive!" Bofur exclaimed.

He came running straight towards them. "Stop! Stop! Stop. You need to leave," he said seriously. "We all need to leave."

"We only just got here," Bofur said.

"I've tried talking, but he won't listen," Bilbo tried to explain.

"What are you trying to say, Bilbo?" Calithilel finally asked.

"Thorin!" She jumped with the dwarves a little startled. "Thorin. Thorin. He's been down there for days," he whispered. "He doesn't sleep. He barely eats. He's not been himself. Not at all. It's this place. Ahem. I think a sickness lies on it."

"Sickness?" Kíli asked. "What kind of sickness?"

 _Gold sickness,_ Calithilel thought.

Fíli walked around Bilbo and down the stairs. Both Calithilel and Bilbo yelled, "Fíli!" And then they were all running after the dwarf.

 _They do not see the seriousness of this,_ she thought and fought the urge to grimace.

Gold. Gold that first looked beautiful to the eye. Gold in waves. Gold that easily turned a person to greed. Calithilel felt sick. Even Thranduil had his weakness for pretty things. Not that she minded much shiny objects, in a certain scale, especially in her previous human life, but now she had started to despise it. So much suffering, and all for gold. War. For what? Yes, gold. Gold and jewels. The stupid jewels Thranduil wanted because of his previous wife would be here somewhere. She could almost see them within her mind. She wanted to find them, but most of all, she wanted to crush those pretty jewels. The Arkenstone was on a good second place in her list of gems she wanted to destroy, but she knew it would not really happen. Or if it did, she would most likely not be the one to do the destroying. Thorin was so deep in the gold, so deep in the sickness, that he barely even noticed them watching him.

"Behold the great treasure hoard of Thror." He threw a red gem, which Fíli caught. "Welcome my sister-sons… to the Kingdom… of Erebor."

"Are we invisible?" Calithilel whispered to Bilbo who barely nodded.

She wanted to turn and walk away when Thorin's gaze fell upon her. "The strangest jewel of all! All are safely within the mountain, claim one thing as your treasure, but please… stay." The way he told her to stay made her feel uneasy and she almost longed back for the caves where Thranduil would be. She was safer there, why had she left? "Of course, take a look around, so you may, but the Arkenstone… is _mine_."

She coughed. "Ahem. I know what I want." Even saying the words made her feel uneasy. She noticed Bilbo watching her with great curiosity. "I want the gems. The ones of true starlight. The gems Thranduil wants the most. It is only right that I claim them… After all-"

"Consider them yours!" He grinned.

She tilted her head. "Really?"

"I think I saw them earlier... Yes… Yes I did. I gave them to Balin. When you find him you will receive them. Fíli, Kíli, Óin, Bofur and Bilbo, you are her witnesses."

"Uhm, thank you?" Calithilel was not sure how to respond to this strange behavior and let her lead by Bilbo.

To say the reunion was great there and then would not be lying, but soon Thorin wanted them to look for the Arkenstone. However, Calithilel had followed Balin to the gems. In the start all she could do was look in wonder at the gems in front of her. She felt strangely tied to them, as if they belonged to her.

"Calithilel, are you alright?" Balin asked, watching her with concern.

"I'm not sure," she whispered. "But with these my plan might work," she added and put on the necklace.

She felt faint and she heard Balin gasp. She opened her eyes and looked at Balin with wonder. The gems were in the right place. She could wear them proudly and please Thranduil. She shook her head. _Please_ Thranduil? What in the world was she thinking?

"These gems do not feel right," she whispered to Balin, her voice shaking.

"You glowed strongly for a moment, lass," Balin said.

"Maybe I should take them off," she said and her hands were on the way up to her neck when Balin stopped her.

"No lass, you will upset Thorin if you do not wear the gift you chose. In the state of mind he is now…"

He did not have to say more. She nodded, agreeing with the dwarf.

The next few days would be uneventful. They were all looking for the Arkenstone, or, all of them would be lying. Calithilel had not been allowed to look and had been given a room that was clean. If dusty counted as clean. At least there were no dead bodies. She had not been allowed to go close to the entrance, to say it truthfully, she was forbidden, and not many of the dwarves understood why. But most of all, Bilbo had protested the most. Calithilel was supposed to be free. Her duty had been fulfilled, at least concerning the contract, but Thorin would have none of it. No protests mattered and the dwarves followed the orders of their king. She did not want to fight her way out, and she waited patiently, boredom the only thing killing her. Bilbo, Fíli and Kíli kept her days light when they seemed the darkest, and she wondered what the king under the mountain was planning. And then Bard came.

She heard his name whispered between the dwarves, they did not all agree with the king, after all, Thorin had promised gold. It was plenty in the mountain. But it was no swaying their king and their loyalties were high. Nevertheless, Calithilel had understood long ago now that it was futile. The gold sickness too strong. It had such a deep hold of Thorin.

Then a few days later she had managed to sneak close to the only entrance and exit, and she heard his beautiful voice. Her heart sang to her, telling her to go to him no matter the cost. She deeply wanted to, until she heard it. Payment had been offered and been accepted. Bilbo had to climb and she held her breath. Then, he wanted the gems. Thorin laughed as if he had won and a stillness took place.

"But I have something much better than those gems," she heard Thorin say.

"And what may that be?" Thranduil asked, curiously.

"The female elf with the most precious eyes you may ever lay eyes on."

"Calithilel is here?" Thranduil almost sounded confused.

"You did not know?" she then heard Kíli gasp.

"She is now part of this treasure!" Thorin announced. "She will never leave these halls!"

"Uncle!" Kíli gasped.

"This is absurd Thorin," Balin tried to reason.

"But imprisoned she will fade," she then heard Bilbo squeak from below.

"She cannot and will not, not with her heart well alive," Fíli muttered.

"Yes she will," Kíli argued.

"I most likely will," Calithilel admitted and walked up to the dwarves.

"What are you doing here?" Thorin asked angrily.

"Saving myself," she answered and smiled. "I know what is coming!" she yelled, making sure her voice could be heard loud and clear for both elves and humans. She briefly spotted Gandalf with Bilbo and breathed out in relief. "I will not take any of your sides, but I will fight against what is coming! Believe me or not, nevertheless, I will not have my choices taken away from me." Thranduil had spotted the necklace around her and she could feel brief anger within her. It was strong and she wanted to laugh at him. She then turned towards Fíli and Kíli. "Please stick together no matter what. Do _not_ split up. This is very important." The brothers nodded. "Good. Now, do you have a rope? I would like to get down."

"Do not let her leave," Thorin threatened.

"Sorry uncle," Fíli and Kíli said in unison and stood in front of her to protect her. She smiled gratefully and then hurried down the rope. She went straight for Gandalf and Bilbo when she heard the march and she knew it was the coming dwarves.

The dwarf riding in the front – Dain – yelled, "Good morning. How are we all? I have a wee proposition if you wouldn't mind giving me a few moments of your time. Would you consider… just sodding off? All of you! Right now!"

Most of the humans started to back a little down, but the elves stood firm, and so did Calithilel by Gandalf's side.

"Stand fast," Bard said.

"Come now, Lord Dain," Gandalf started while walking forward. Calithilel and Bilbo staying by the humans.

"Gandalf the Grey," Dain said with the hint of a good tone. "Tell this rabble to leave, or I'll water the ground with their blood!"

Calithilel barely looked a moment towards Thranduil and she felt his hurtful gaze. Her heart was in pain and she had to pull herself together before it went more out of hand. She could not stand with him, not now in such an important moment. If she now stood with him, most would see. It would break the trust of many friends, so she was sure. She stood her ground, no matter how much she wanted to go to him.

"There is no need for war between dwarves, men and elves," Gandalf said. "A legion of orcs march on the mountain. Stand down."

"I will not stand down before any elf," Dain said angrily. "Not least this faithless woodland sprite. He wishes nothing but ill upon my people. If he chooses to stand between me and my kin… I'll split his pretty head open! See if he's still smirking then."

"He's clearly mad, like his cousin," Thranduil said, not making things better.

"You hear that, lads? We're on!" Dain turned towards his army. "Let's give these bastards a good hammering!"

The dwarves started shouting and the elves started to change their positions. Getting ready for battle. Then the sound came. Halting them all. Had it not been that she knew what was coming she would have been startled. Instead she looked towards the mountains where the worms would emerge with distaste.

"Were-worms," Gandalf said. Not so loud, but Calithilel heard it clearly. The battle had come.

"Oh, come on," she heard Dain complain.

The orcs were shouting and she fought the urge to cover her ears. Horns blew.

"The horns of hell are upon us!" Dain yelled and started leading his forces towards the new enemy. "To battle, sons of Durin!"

While the dwarves went to battle the elves stood still. Calithilel turned to glare at Thranduil. _Will you do nothing?_ She thought so harshly towards him and then saw him flinch. So he had heard her. _Are you going to be a coward?_ She then asked. His eyes hardened.

"Thranduil!" Gandalf shouted. "This is madness!"

 _Will you fight… or run?_ she asked and then turned away from him to follow the dwarves herself.

The dwarves went in position, and right before the orcs attacked, elves jumped over to fight. An ecstatic "yes!" erupted from Calithilel and she briefly looked around her, hoping no one heard her, Bilbo had indeed and showed a hint of a smile. Also Gandalf had heard and stared at her disapprovingly. She fought the small blush that threatened to cover her cheeks while she drew her sword.

The start of the battle was blinding. She was not sure what she was doing. Her body acted on its own, and yet the sword was not her best feat. She kept glancing, looking for Thranduil, but also knowing it could be fatal. Many fell back towards Dale and she followed, to protect the people there. Briefly she felt an arm around her and then she was behind a horse, or so she thought for a moment, until realizing it was Thranduil riding and it was not a horse.

"I thought you might need these!" Thranduil yelled and handed her two daggers in their hurry.

She hurriedly tucked them away and smiled. "Thanks!" This was her element and she was more than ready now.

When reaching Dale she jumped off without warning and Thranduil briefly looked back her way, but she shook her head, and as if understanding her, he rode on.

 _Did we just have a moment?_ She briefly thought before she drew the two daggers and grinned at the coming orcs. Now this would be fun. Well, so she had thought. She was pushed further into the city and soon she was backed up by more elves. She fought with them, even seeing many slain beside her, barely missing her, but killing her race. She saw Thranduil and fought her way towards him, and then she stood close to him. She knew now it was close to the time.

"I have to go!" she yelled, while stabbing yet another orc.

"You must stay to protect, you do not leave now unless it will keep you safe!" Thranduil growled.

"I have a task to fulfill," she turned to him. "I will try to come back to you. No matter how you are I cannot deny my feelings, and I would love to get to know you more. I have a purpose in this world that I must fulfill, and I am sorry." The last part she whispered as she backed away, but his eyes told it all. He was starting to break, he did not want to lose her, the love was there even without them truly knowing each other, it was natural, and it was how it was supposed to be. Still she disappeared through the buildings and fought her way out. She was ruthless as she went, not caring for herself, and not noticing an arrow coming towards her. She barely felt it as she took wings with the wind and started floating, and then… the wind cloaked her and took her safely towards Ravenhill.

"Fíli, Kíli!" she yelled when stepping foot unto the ground once more. She started walking, but soon found herself to struggle and turned her head to see the arrow that stood out form her back. "Fíli!" she yelled again, followed by a grunt. She started to breathe more heavily. "Kíli!" She closed her eyes and found it difficult for a moment to open them up again.

"Calithilel!" she heard the brothers yell.

"You are hurt," Fíli said worried.

She failed to meet his eyes and fell to her knees. "Break the arrow or pull it out!" she grit out.

"We cannot do that!" Kíli protested.

"You must!" she gasped out.

"It's the only way," she heard Fíli mutter.

She felt two strong arms holding her shoulders tight and then a burning pain in her back. She wanted to scream but at the same time not drawing attention to the three of them and she kept her mouth shut tight while tears streamed down her face.

"It's out," Fíli said relieved.

"Good," she sobbed, trying to pull herself together. She wiped her eyes and then were helped back on her feet by Kíli. "Where is Thorin and Dwalin?" she then asked.

"We split up with them, just now before we ran into you," Kíli explained.

"Good, then there is still time. We need to split up, but under no circumstances are the two of you to split up. Just like I said. Always stay together, no matter what. You are stronger together, and I will take care of the rest."

"I'm not so sure…" Kíli started.

"No, we must listen to her," Fíli said. "We trust her." He met her eyes and nodded once. She nodded back and turned from them.

"Search the lower levels, I'll take the rest," she said as she walked away from them.

Of course she was found, just like Fíli would have been, but she did not go quietly and fought until she lost both her daggers. Her sword was gone and she had no bow, neither any arrows when they led her out. Azog had her by her neck and she briefly saw Thorin, Dwalin, Bilbo and then from another place, Fíli and Kíli, at least they would now stand a higher chance.

 _ **`This one dies first. Then the brothers. And at last, you, Oakenshield,´**_ Azog said in black speech and held her over the edge.

She started to struggle, still having fight left in her. "Go!" she yelled. "You know so well this is a trap. Get away!" She wriggled under Azog's grasp when his sword went through her. The pain was so great it was enough to make her black out, and she wondered if she ever would wake up again.

" _You did well._ "

* * *

Thranduil found his son by a lifeless body. He did not expect the sight of such a bloodied Silver and he fell beside her. Trying to lift her up to him. "Why?" he whispered. "Why did you do this?"

"Her name… Her name is Calithilel," Legolas said and breathed shakily.

"How do you know?" he asked surprised, looking up at his son through tearful lashes.

"I heard the dwarves shout it. It is her name. Was."

Light opened up in front of them and they barely saw the outline of a person. " _Her life is still present, though barely. Do you not recognize your former wife, Thranduil? Legolas surely recognizes his mother._ "

"How?" Thranduil whispered, too much in shock to truly understand.

"That is why I felt so familiar to her," Legolas mumbled.

" _Her soul when she died the first time travelled far and found another body and lived a new life, a life where time flows differently. When she died there, we made it possible for her to come back, for this is the world she truly belongs to, but not without a prize. She had to rescue at least one from the line of Durin._ "

"She saved two," Legolas said, finding his voice.

" _Indeed she did…_ "

"Why is she like this, why does she not remember?" Thranduil asked, trying to understand how Calithilel could be his former wife and mother of Legolas.

" _She cannot remember and never will. She is not the same person. She is who she is now, but she will always belong to you, Thranduil, and feel close to you, Legolas. We gave her a new body. We gave her a family. We gave her love. Now it is up to you to bring her back._ " The light disappeared and so did the person with it. One of the Vala, it was the only explanation.

"Father, what are we going to do?" Legolas wondered and wiped his tears away.

"We will let her recover," Thranduil said softly.

"She's still dying," Legolas pressed.

"I _will_ save her!" Thranduil started glowing in determination. He _had_ to save her. He sought for her pain and her wounds, looking for the reason and her fading light. He tried to strengthen her with his own, but it was not the easiest as they were not yet bonded. However, he would not give up, and even if it nearly killed him, he _would_ save her.

"Father!" Legolas yelled. "That's enough!"

Thranduil felt himself being pulled away from Calithilel and nearly wanted to protest, but the rest her body would have to heal itself. "Come, let's take her to Dale."

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**


	10. Chapter 10

**This chap is about 3,400 words. Thank you all reviewers, those that fav and follows.**

 **I hope you all can forgive me, after all, it's taken a while to post this. Hope this chapter makes up for the wait.**

 **R &R! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10:**

Calithilel felt strange when she opened her eyes. And to add that she also felt like she had been hit by a truck – not that she knew how that felt like, but she could imagine – her fantasy was well enough for that at least. She blinked several times, wondering where she was. Had she died? Would she soon meet deceased friends and people or elves? Would she see Sparkles? Pain in her chest. No, she could not be dead. She would not feel this pain then. _At least I've understood that. A good start I must admit,_ she thought to herself.

" _You are safe._ " The shape of a woman in front of her, surrounded by light and an earthly smell.

"Yavanna?" she asked.

" _You are still unconscious my dear._ " Laughter in her voice.

"Why _you_ seem happy," she grumbled, and kept staring at the female figure.

" _Why would I not be happy? You are alive!_ " Her tone shone with a bright smile and her light intensified.

"I don't feel so alive. Where am I?"

" _In your head. But I must tell you a truth that we have kept from you._ " Her tone became serious and Calithilel felt herself squirm.

"I still feel pain," she mumbled and winced when trying to move.

" _Lay still, I will ease your pain. But listen my child, for you will face a strangeness when you awake. For you are tied to Thranduil in a way you cannot imagine._ "

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked worriedly.

" _You know the tale of his, a tragic ending his former wife met? All to save her loving son. That elleth was you, Calithilel. You in another body, another life, but still the same soul._ "

It was too much. How could it even be possible? How could this have happened? If she had died here previously, was she not meant to be safe? And for sure not on earth as another previous life. "What happened?" she choked out.

" _Your soul went astray and so you ended up on earth. However, when you died there, we were able to pull you back to Middle-Earth._ "

"What does that mean for me?" she whispered.

" _You will never remember your previous life here, Calithilel. You will never be the same person. Your soul is the same, which will let you be with Thranduil and your son Legolas once more._ "

"I barely even know them! Do they know?"

" _Yes._ "

"Do they expect the former _me_?"

" _No. They understand that you are not the same. But all of you still have a chance of happiness together and new memories._ "

It was a lot to take in. Enough to make her dizzy. She could slowly feel her eyelids close and then she was once more in the darkness.

* * *

She blinked several times before she could see clearly. Her body felt heavy and she was now sure she was awake once more. Her mouth was dry, another sign that she had been asleep for too long. The pain though, it was muted and a relief, for she did not want to give it much thought in the moment. She had other concerns.

"Kíli and… Fíli?" she wondered upon seeing the two brothers by her bed.

"You're awake!" the two of them exclaimed happily at the same time.

She cracked a smile. "Of course." She tried to lick her lips, but frowned. Too dry.

"Here," Kíli said and offered her a cup against her lips.

She did not find the strength to glare and took a careful sip before saying, "Thorin?"

A shadow seemed to pass. "He fell," Fíli explained.

"And Gandalf destroyed the Arkenstone," Kíli continued. "Fíli is king now." He sniggered.

Calithilel smiled. "You will be a great king." She frowned. "I'm sorry I was not able to save your uncle."

"What are you saying?" Fíli gasped. "You risked your own life to save ours! We are forever in your debt."

She tried to wave a hand, but it felt a bit numb. "You are my friends, you will never be in my debt. I would like to keep our friendship."

Kíli looked sad and said, "The king Thranduil wants to take you away. Are you leaving us?"

"He is my mate," she said softly. "I cannot stay with you and not be with him. Nevertheless, I will try to visit."

Fíli held a hand on his brother's shoulder. "It is time for us to go."

"Be well," the brothers said in unison and went out of the tent.

She breathed out for herself. She had not failed. Two from Durin's line had survived. She breathed out again and the tent opened once more. She felt a bit faint; still she managed to turn her head towards the one who entered. "Legolas," she said softly. The feeling of warmth in her chest spreading all through her boy. Such love for an elf she did not even really know, not in this life. But at the same time she would like to bond with him. He was her son in soul and she could feel it. Clearly.

"It is strange how strong the bond feels, is it not?" Legolas asked and sat by her side, a faint smile touching his lips.

"I will admit, maybe stranger for me." She started to chuckle but it soon turned into a cough. Legolas looked at her with such worry that she tried to pull herself together. It was not easy, though soon the tent was filled with silence. "I'm sorry," she finally said and tears welled up in her eyes.

Legolas' panicked look was not what she expected. "Why are you sorry? You have nothing to be sorry about!" he protested.

"I'm sorry I cannot truly remember you." Her lower lip shook. "I feel the bond with you so strongly now and I understand who you are to me, but with missing memories it is so damned frustrating!"

Legolas leaned over and pulled her towards him. Through their bond, his hug of love filled her and she breathed in his scent. "I do not remember much of my mother, and since you share the same soul I would like to get to know you," he whispered.

"I have no clue how to be a mother," she laughed faintly and he chuckled.

"Let's start with friendship then," he suggested and pulled away. He stood looking at her with sparkling eyes.

"I'd like that a lot, Legolas."

He smiled and turned to leave, but paused by the tent's opening. "Father will visit you a bit later. He had something to discuss with king Fíli."

She did not answer, and she did not have to. Her `ok´ was so strong in her mind that he seemed to hear her. Silently he left and she turned her head away. She closed her eyes, but sleep would not find her. Not now. She had slept too long.

 _Too much drama,_ she thought. _Why do I feel like such a child? Even Legolas, my son, is more mature than me… No, relax. Pull yourself together Calithilel. This is just a moment of weakness, nothing more._ She breathed out. Slowly she tried to sit, and thanks to Yavanna, the pain was not too much. It was still a little painful to breathe sitting like she did. Not enough patience. She was already sick of this bed.

The tent was opened and a shocked "Calithilel!" and hurried footsteps, made her look up. "What are you doing?!" Bilbo asked, a little panicked. "You're supposed to rest."

"I've slept long enough, Bilbo," she said and shook her head a bit.

"Resting does not necessarily mean sleeping. Just laying down and relax. Being bored is part of it."

"I do not want to be bored as of right now," she grumbled.

"Here, let me give you some more pillows so you almost will be sitting up, but still comfortable." As Bilbo helped her she reached for the cup of water, but the hobbit stopped her. "No! No more of that now. I have brought you some tea." He handed her another cup.

"Thanks Bilbo," she said and took a small sip. She then wrinkled her nose and took another. "What is it in this tea?"

He looked a little guilty. "Gandalf made me give this to you so you would rest a bit easier."

She did not have the will to be mad at her friend. Instead she said, "Thank you for being a good friend and looking out for me." She then swallowed up the rest in the cup and handed it to him. She felt drowsy almost at once and she closed her eyes. Resting against the pillows she barely heard him leave. She knew he would feel a little guilty and would have to talk to him about it later. Yes, yes he was a friend that looked after her indeed. But for now, for now she would sleep.

* * *

Thranduil entered the tent and sat by Calithilel's side. The little hobbit had helped her with the pillows and she rested against them. He let his right hand rest on her left cheek, while now and then he stroked his thumb over. Even if she slept so peacefully, he could feel her uneasiness when the dreams were not good, and even sometimes, her fear. It was not as clear like when she was awake, but she had been good at blocking him. Nevertheless, after a true bonding, he knew it would be harder to shut each other off. If even possible at all.

He had talked with the dwarf. Now King of Erebor. They had come to an agreement, after he had agreed to give Bard the gold Thorin originally had promised, and even a bit more. So he too had also offered help where it came to rebuild Dale. A certain amount of elves would surely speed up the progress before winter truly came. He no longer had any fights with the dwarves, except for his dislike, and so they had agreed to a truce, and maybe even traders in the future, but it was essential that Calithilel stayed with him for the peace to last. She seemed to be their friend, and it would surely help their relationships. Even if not all dwarves were happy about this arrangement. Dain especially seemed a little sour that Fíli would not fight the elves, but rather keep peace with them.

Admitting that it was a bit impressive was not something he did, though he had felt gratitude, especially in such a dark time. Not that it truly was dark, but with his mate unconscious, it was almost hard to stay sane. Legolas had assured him that she had seemed fine, and she was healing fast. So why would she not wake up when he was there with her? Of course he had been angry when he had heard what the wizard had done. Making her drink tea so she would sleep, no, rest had been the word he had used, for she needed rest. Yet he had not had a chance to speak with her and it angered him. She needed rest, he was well aware of that, but there was many things he wanted to tell her. One, how foolish she had acted. Two, that he loved her more than anything. Three, he could not bear to lose her. The list did indeed go on, and after consideration, he understood that it might not be the best to say too much when she awoke.

For now, he just wanted to get her home. Home and safe. Moreover, he was aware of the danger in his forest, even if she had healed a large part of it. Eventually when their forces was up again, he would send a force to wipe out the spiders at their source. The thought of her risking herself to save his people was too vivid in his mind. He had to keep her and his son safe, their son. He could barely believe it, but he could not deny that one of the Vala had spoken to both him and Legolas. It was true and he was no longer sure how to truly feel about it all.

Her eyes fluttered open.

"Thranduil," she whispered. Her head still a bit groggy. How long had she been asleep this time? It felt like all the weight of the world was still resting on her shoulders, not gone, not at all. She had saved Fíli and Kíli, yet it seemed like her adventure barely had begun.

"Calithilel," he whispered softly. So softly it sent electricity of shock through her. Never could she imagine… Imagine this feeling she got when he said her name in such a way. But most of all, he truly knew her name now. It was no running away.

"How…" She swallowed. "How are you?"

She could see his expression change fast. He thought her to be unbelievable when she asked such a question. However, she still did and it seemed to bother him. "You wonder how I fare, but what of your own health and safety?" he said lowly, anguish so clear in his expression.

She chuckled. "It's in my nature." She shrugged, but the gesture itself seemed to bring her a bit of pain and she winced.

"You are not yet healed," he stated and seemed to raise a brow.

"You don't say," she murmured and tried to sit a bit straighter.

"I do not like what that wizard made the little hobbit do to you."

It was her turn to raise a brow. "Oh, really?" She hid a smile and he seemed to see right through her.

"I… My light was not enough to properly heal you, but your elven healing should have made that wound almost gone by now, only a scar should be left."

"The blade was poisoned. I think…" She coughed. "I think that would slow anyone's healing abilities, elf or not."

He frowned. "The other elves struck by such blades are back to normal by now, you are the only exception."

"Oh…" she breathed. She certainly had no answer to that.

"At the same time, your fate was hanging by a thin thread, you almost faded."

Concern.

She smiled softly at him. "Hey, I'm much better now, thanks to you… I know it might seem strange, but I can feel your light with mine, you keep me here – alive." She stretched out a hand towards him; he caught it and grasped it softly. "Thank you," she whispered.

He seemed to want to say something but stopped himself and swallowed, then he said, "I would do anything to keep you safe."

"I believe you."

* * *

Bilbo stopped by Calithilel in her tent on his way home, it was time for him to leave and go back to the Shire. She hugged him with some effort but wished him well. With promise of that she would one day visit him, she knew he was content on leaving.

She was placing her feet on the ground when the tent was opened again and Legolas too bid her farewell. Even if their discoveries, he had to go on a journey of his own before he could return and feel content in his realm, with both his father and her. Even how much it pained her to say goodbye, she knew it was necessary for him to go. It had to be this way. It would be up to her to keep Thranduil grounded, as much as she could.

Calithilel could only imagine the difficulties she eventually would face. First of all going to Greenwood with Thranduil, she had after all promised him. She would also be the main peacekeeper between the elves and the dwarves. It was so strange, she had barely even spent time in the Greenwood and it was a lot to do. Getting to know it properly, the people, and most of all, heal the forest. It was yet not safe and she had to help as much as she could until it was healthy enough again to stand on its own tree roots. Not to mention the true bonding part. She was not yet ready, far from it. Spending an eternity with Thranduil… Part of her was thrilled; another scared to death while another uncertain. For crying out loud! They barely knew each other! Yes she had promised to return with him, but she was not ready to jump in bed with him to strengthen their bond, she wanted to get to know him better first.

Did they not supposedly have all the time in the world? If she ignored the tiny future nagging on her mind that she would live to see to a certain extent. She hugged herself, halfway dressed and a tear of silver falling from her and landing on the floor. She knew her eyes sparkled with sadness when Thranduil came back to the tent to see if she was ready. He had after all mainly stayed with her, to watch over her and to keep her safe. He saw right through her and stepped closer to her with his arms open, still a little unsure of his next move; she did it for him and wrapped her arms around him. In turn his arms went around her while she felt herself break apart. Her tears would not stop and she kept sobbing, holding him tight.

"It will be alright," she heard him murmur while resting his chin on top of her head.

When she had finally calmed down she breathed in and out some few times before pulling away. She looked into his eyes and bit her lip. "Sorry about that," she whispered.

"You do not have to apologize," he said and tilted his head.

"I just… I guess I am a bit overwhelmed." She tried to smile but felt her lips tremble and she had to take some more calming breaths.

"You are strong, Calithilel. Tears are not bad, but half of yours are silver, I cannot imagine how that must feel."

He had a certain look in his eyes and she giggled. "Oh gosh, did you attempt to joke, Thranduil?" she asked, disbelievingly.

The small smile was tell enough and she laughed. When she had calmed enough, she shooed him out so she could finish getting dressed. Stepping out of the tent had never felt so wonderful. Feeling the air on her face and the bright sun made her smile brightly.

Her eyes wandered around the campsite just outside of the ruins of dale. Elves were busy taking down tents, while it seemed that some were still staying up, curious she tilted her head.

"We will let the humans keep some, there are still injured and sick in them." Thranduil knew to startle her and surprised she turned towards him. "There is no need to look so surprised. The city has barely begun its rebuilding."

"Ah, sorry," she said and shook her head. "It is just a bit unusual. You for example are being very nice. The dwarves seemed to have made their peace with you and the humans for now-"

"For now," he agreed.

"I just hope it can stay that way."

"What do you know?" he then asked, seeing her expression.

"I cannot remember much, but darkness is still out there, and one day we will certainly need alliances and peace between us to keep the fight against darkness, light."

He took her left hand, the closest to him and lifted it towards his heart. "I know to trust you on this, and I will listen to you, shall the time come."

 _I hope so_ , she thought and bit her lip while turning away from him, carefully her hand was freed. "Will you return to Greenwood now, and take me with you?" she then asked, overlooking Dale.

She felt him right behind her and she suppressed a smile.

"There is much to be done."

"You did not answer me."

"Yes, we shall return, but this time, I hope you will stay by your own choice."

"I guess we both have a lot to learn about each other, though for now I'm willing to follow you. However, do I see or experience something I do not like, do not expect me to be quiet about it."

"I was counting on that."

Startled she found herself being lifted into his arms, and much faster than she could truly register, she was suddenly sitting on top of Starlight.

"How…" she whispered.

"I was as puzzled as you; however, the wizard assured me she was granted a safe way to find you."

"Starlight!" she squealed and hugged the neck of her horse.

Thranduil chuckled, yes, their future would surely be interesting.

* * *

 **Yes indeed their future will be interesting, so what might happen now? Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**


	11. Chapter 11

**This chap is about 3,000 words. Thank you all reviewers, those that fav and follows. I hope this chap does not feel too rushed, but I really had to get another chap out now. It might be a little depressing, but it will brighten up again, and it is a bit necessary.**

 **R &R! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 11:**

Calithilel was unsure of how to feel in the new reality of hers. She was a lost queen. A queen! She really could not get used to the thought. Returning to the Greenwood and Thranduil's realm had been so strange. She had been riding beside the king on his insistence, yet barely any words had been exchanged on the way. Safely behind the walls of the realm she had dismounted and an unfamiliar elf had led her horse away and out again – probably to some stable, or so she assumed. Another elf made sure to lead her away somewhere else at once and she looked behind herself, lost, directly at Thranduil. He simply kept her gaze and then turned his head away from her.

 _What was that about?_ She briefly wondered.

Halfway Taenil met her and relieved she embraced the _elleth._ Startled the female stiffened and when she pulled away Taenil offered a small smile. "Let me lead you to your room," she said.

"Where am I to stay?" Calithilel wondered.

"In the royal chambers. You will be separated from the king as of now. However… Pardon me… There has been some rumors that he will marry you. After that you will stay with him once more."

She had no words. How did those words spread so far and fast? After all, there had not been a promise of marriage. Thranduil had said nothing and she was certainly not ready. Another small part of her was also angered that she was not to share his room, considering the last time he forced her to, would he not stay with her now?

Understanding. She understood that the situation had changed. They needed to get to know each other again, the kingdom had to learn the truth about her, and a new ceremony had to be, eventually.

Once in her quarters she took to exploring. She found Thranduil's rooms easily, including his study, or so she guessed with all the papers and the shelves, even the desk in the middle of the room. She also found what she guessed to be Legolas' room and she sat down on his bed, breathing in the familiar scent in the room. Silently scolding herself, she arose and went back to her bedroom. It was plain. A large bed in the middle of the room. A dresser against the wall and a closet for dresses. One door also connected the bathing room. She fell back on the bed, closed her eyes, then sighed loudly.

"I did not know you were this bored already."

He really knew how to startle her.

"I thought I would not see you for a while?" It was too big a question in her head and she briefly wondered if it was too bold.

"I had to take care of some matters. As for now I have open ears."

The hint of a smile. She smiled back at him softly. She had to admit that he had his charms. Faults and all. However, the smile faltered and she took to wondering what to make of them. They were truly a pair were they not?

"What are we going to do from here, Thranduil? What will become of me?" she asked and bit her lip.

He turned his head away and she was not able to read his expression, and if that was not enough, he was able to block her from him.

A little too angered maybe she started to speak once more, and with more of an annoyed tone she said, "Fine, ignore me. Close yourself up, it seems like it is what you do best!" The words came too fast and she closed her lips in horror. Her eyes widened and she regretted opening her mouth in the first place.

The familiar anger that shone in his eyes were not strange, but the hurt there… That was the worst of it. "We barely do know each other," he said calmly. "However, it seems that angering each other is quite easy, I suggest we start to try to understand one another." With that he left her.

Tears welled in her eyes and angrily she wiped them away. What a fool! She was such a _fool_. How could she ruin their newfound peace so easily? Obviously it did not take much. And as silver pearls adorned the floor she arose. She knew one thing she could do. Until Thranduil's forces were strengthened again, someone had to keep healing the forest and help the trees. She could do that. She just had to stop herself before it became too much of a strain on her. She had to focus and help. She had to contribute.

So the day after, she was dressed easily and made her way through the gates. She entered the healthy forest and started walking. She knew very well that it was a lot of ground to cover, but she would continue where she left off.

The days would continue like that. Nevertheless, wherever she went rumors followed her. It seemed that Thranduil had announced her coming back from the dead without her presence, and he was now busy with his advisors. Eventually she did not even catch a glimpse of him as she exited the gates to the realm. Her long strides took her farther into the forest and she started to miss more and more of Legolas. At least it felt like he understood her.

It started to become better and better and eventually she started meeting elves who dared venture some into the forest after she had been there. She greeted villagers and told stories to children after healing another part – truly getting acquainted with the people. She liked them, well, at least most of them. She started to enjoy her outings as the months passed and winter came. Soon snow would start falling and it would be no use healing the forest. Sometimes she took to practice with the guard on her skills. Mostly with her sword, but occasionally she would practice her archery as well. She had tucked her daggers safely away, knowing _that_ skill would never fail her.

Missing Thranduil did not change, and the choice to keep their distance of each other was not really helping, neither did they talk, like she had truly hoped would happen. Days passed fast now that temporarily peace was there. In the end she took to visit Erebor. She told Thranduil's advisors she would stay with the dwarves until the snow started to melt and then she would be back again. Not knowing that her leaving could mean fatal consequences.

Meeting the dwarves had brought her so much joy, especially seeing Kíli and Tauriel together. It seemed that she had not been easy to accept, but many dwarves had started to accept Tauriel as Kíli's one and true mate. Calithilel did truly love seeing her friends again. Friends she could share her worries with. She stayed in a quiet part of the mountain. The mountain itself had been cleared out and was now up and functioning again. The city of Dale was once more, and it could truly feel like they were in for peace.

How wrong could they be. Orcs still existed, and several had been passing through the sick parts of Greenwood, managing to get to the town. At least the dwarves were kind enough to send some warriors. Kíli still saw it as honor to defend and with Tauriel by his side, they made the perfect killing team.

Calithilel too helped, and sometimes she wished, she just wished, that the war was over and done with. She knew that one day, yes, peace would find place, but for how long? If the elves truly tried to leave Middle-Earth… She shook her head, she still felt she had a lot to do and a lot of work ahead of her. Her place now, was in Greenwood, and it was time she proved that.

When the snow started melting, she was true to her words and left Erebor. Saying goodbye to Fíli and Kíli was especially hard this time, she had to endure, and so she did. Hugging Tauriel she wished her further luck. And this time, turning her back to the mountain she started walking with confidence towards Greenwood.

It did not take long before doubt filled her while she walked alongside the river. Healing this part of the forest as she went – the missing parts. She had taken an extra long way just to make some use of herself. Thoughts started filling her. Would Thranduil be furious with her? Would he be happy? _Of course he won't be happy_ , she thought after. Did he hate her for leaving? Glad he was rid of her? She shook her head. Such thoughts did no good.

The gates opened in front of her and she expected at least some sort of welcome, however, the welcome she received was not what she had expected. She recognized some few of Thranduil's advisors. Two guards came forward and took one arm each. In reaction she started struggling. Anger filled her, hot and burning through her veins.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

Thranduil's voice was relief to her ears and she sought out his familiar figure and his clear eyes. His rage was nothing compared to hers.

One of the advisors took one step towards his king. "My lord Thranduil, this _elleth_ is not welcome in this kingdom before we deem her the true queen of the Greenwood."

"What nonsense are you-"

Another one dared interrupt him. "She has to prove herself as a true queen. Of course it would also help if she had memories of her previous life by your side. The people are in doubt. While some has met this mystery queen in the forest, others have not seen her at all. She is but a ghost."

"Excuse me!" Calithilel yelled. "How dare you speak that way to your king?! I could care less how you see me, my past is my past indeed, but you all know that the Lady of the Light has adopted me as her daughter! You dare insult _me_? My mother? In front of your own king? Do not forget that he chooses whom he has to advise him. Over half the village can say they have met me, and I have never been cruel. Most of the guards have seen me training or I have sparred against one of them. The fact that I even have to protect myself from the likes of _you_ , it is despicable." She was seething. Thranduil looked rather impressed and surprised. The guards faltered in their grip on her and she shook herself free from their grasps.

"As you can see, the lady speaks truly and I will not hesitate to find some new advisors. You are dismissed from your positions and may return to the village with your families."

Calithilel did not have time to hear or see what came next for what she felt lastly was a sword being pushed through her back. Then everything went black.

* * *

Once again she was in the healing wing. Though the wound had not been fatal, the damage was almost unrepairable. The chance that she would be able to carry children in the future was very slight and it had a greater impact on her than she dared to admit. Her tears simply would not stop falling after she awoke. She knew one of the healers had run out to find Thranduil and tell him the news, but also the bad news along with them. How could fate be so cruel? She had not seen it coming at all. A third advisor had stayed hidden in the shadows and when Thranduil had dismissed the two others, it seemed to have been the last drop. Nevertheless, such darkness in that elf had been a mystery in its own.

It proved in the end that the elf had been under very dark influence for a long time, tainting him so badly that he was on the verge to turn into an orc. It did not excuse him. His damage was done. He tried to prevent more happiness to come.

Thranduil came when her tears had dried out and only sobs wracked her. He sat down beside her and held her while she cried her despair. She felt like she was losing even if she was winning, and as the days went, it was clear that the fading process was awfully near. Only the king could save her.

Thranduil was not sure where to start. His anger over the accident so fresh and clear in his mind. His own despair mixed up with his one love. If that was not enough, he also had his regret. His regrets over how he had been treating her, especially after everything they had already been through, and that in such a short time. He tried to make light on the first time he saw her in the throne room, getting a small smile through her teary face. However, it soon faltered and she went back to staring straight ahead, not seeming to hear him. He tried to tell her about Legolas and when he had been younger. He thought it would help, but it only seemed to make it worse. Grimacing to himself he stood from her bed a month later. Knowing something had to be done. So he called on Lady Galadriel, hoping she would come for her daughter.

But the Lady of Light never came, though the calling had not been in vain, Celeborn came. Worry deep in his features and he went straight for his daughter. He could simply not let her fade.

So Thranduil watched as Celeborn dragged Calithilel out of bed. As he forced her to the training field. As he forced her to pick up a sword. He watched while Celeborn poked her with a wooden sword, waiting for a reaction. He spoke to her, scolded her, tried to comfort her.

Thranduil watched from afar; worry clear as he could not feel his mate. Their bond had been strong, but somehow she had managed to shut him out completely.

"Is this how you want Legolas to see you?!" Celeborn barked one morning. "Do you want him to lose another mother? Do you not think he has been through enough pain?" he taunted.

Shattered. That is how she seemed. "That's enough!" Thranduil yelled and stepped in between Celeborn and Calithilel. "It's already been another month. This is not any good. It is only damaging her further. Do you want to lose her this badly?"

Celeborn looked away. "I cannot bear to lose another daughter. Not so soon."

"You won't."

The frail voice was almost alien and the two males turned towards the purple haired female.

She started to collapse and Thranduil rushed forward to catch her in his arms. "I've been so stupid," she whispered.

"Shh, do not say such words. You had every natural reaction as an _elleth_ who never carried. Some pulls through while others…"

"While others fade," she finished for him. He nodded against her hair. "Oh I'm so truly sorry! Of course I do not wish to leave any of you." Tears trailed down her cheeks again.

"Stop the tears, daughter. You may be at peace," Celeborn said from behind Thranduil, looking directly at her.

"It's so hard," she gritted out.

"Your mother told me before I left, that you will pull through, and had you watched in the mirror you might have seen a bit of your daughter yourself."

Calithilel and Thranduil gaped.

"Why hold it for so long?" Thranduil asked, almost more angered than before.

"To prove she could stay strong, but also that we cope differently."

"I-I w-wi-will have a daughter?" she stammered.

Celeborn nodded. "In time."

"Truly?" she breathed.

"You might feel damaged, and part of you is, but it is not impossible for you to carry a child."

It was hard for her to grasp such a truth, but also so relieving, nevertheless, it did not stop her pain over her actions and how she had treated _everyone_. After all, her father had come for her. Thranduil had been there for her, and she had been ignorant and stupid. Oh such guilt! Would it never stop?

"Stop beating yourself up over this," Thranduil whispered. "Be glad over happy news. It is proof that we somehow will work things out and start a life together."

Celeborn nodded with a smile.

That day the three of them shared the evening meal, and laughter was not far away. Calithilel kept looking at Thranduil as he seemed more relaxed and almost happy, and she understood then that she truly wanted to see more of that side of him. She wanted to be open with him, to share her worries. Even her love that kept blossoming. For when the flowers started to sprout and spring had come, Celeborn was leaving, but with a promise that he soon hoped for their wedding, and then, both him and Galadriel would attend.

The light air around them seemed to fade as the gates closed. She looked at Thranduil's grim expression and wanted to reach out to him. She was too uncertain. Noticing her feelings and what she wanted he fully turned towards her and held her hands. Elves passed them, staring curiously, most remembered to curtsy or bow as they went past, however, many gaped, forgetting themselves.

"We have a lot to sort out in this realm. A strange darkness is spreading and my forces are still not as they used to be, it can take years," he said, meeting her eyes.

"I will stay," she promised.

He smiled and a hand went to caress her cheek. "I know you will. Even so, I want to start building up our trust. I want to know the true you, as I am sure you want to know me, though I must admit it is hard to open up after so many years. Nevertheless, you are my love."

She leaned into him. "And you are mine," she whispered.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**


	12. Chapter 12

**This chap is about 2,000 words. Thank you all reviewers, those that fav and follows. I will announce that this is the second last chapter to this story. The next will be an epilogue. This is so I can have the option for a sequel with two OC's. The other OC is introduced in this chapter. The sequel should be posted under LOTR for it will follow them both under the war ;) Whenever I get to writing it. For now I need a break, and I'm sorry for those that I might disappoint. Myself I love OCxThranduil stories and usually like them long, but for now I cannot go on with this one, and only a sequel makes sense to me, I'm sorry.**

 **R &R! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12:**

It was almost too much. Living in Lórien had never been such pain, but in Thranduil's realm she had to act like a queen. Or at least learn how to act as one. She did not feel herself. She loved meeting the people of the realm too much, so when the "higher up" elves came to complain, all she wanted to do was cover her ears. There was more important matters out there.

She had to admit that Thranduil impressed her, he took it all with great patience and tried to calm the situation, however, his icy mask helped a lot in his favor. No one wanted to anger him.

She stood by his side, crowned as a princess for now until their consummation and marriage. Which the date had not even been set. They had not bonded yet, but she felt after spending more time with him, learning from him, seeing what he saw, that she understood a bit more of him, and hopefully him her.

Coming back to their chambers, he would complain about hearings and annoying elves. How did he even stand it? _How indeed,_ she then wondered. Then again, she also knew he loved his subjects, even the annoying ones.

The evenings she usually told him about her previous world, the strange place and strange things, he could not even imagine. He seemed always so fascinated, but mainly hearing about her previous life. There was not that many years to tell from, so eventually she told him how she ended up with Galadriel and Celeborn and how she had to get used to her new life. Thranduil seemed so fascinated and she loved the feelings she received from him. They were more open now.

Though the road had not been the easiest one, they still tried and neither gave up, ever. That was what kept them true to each other. They knew they had such a strong bond and denying such love… who in their right minds could? Their souls belonged to each other.

Calithilel was so fascinated when she got to learn new things together with Thranduil, and her happiness shined through so brightly. She truly could not imagine a life without her mate. Past horrors almost seemed to fade far into the past.

Then the date of consummation had been set, as well as the crowning as queen of the Greenwood. Yes, indeed it was greener now. Though the guard was yet not as many as they once had been, at least most of them were posted in the woods, always on lookout. Somehow she felt lighter. After pulling through her depressed state, she felt she was more open for happiness, it could no longer get worse, for she knew, deep within, that one day she would truly be blessed.

It was a strange day it happened. She was out walking through the forest when she stumbled. Confused she looked around, there was no tree roots close. She looked down. Shocked she stared at the elleth on the ground. She was unconscious, but that was not the biggest concern, what did surprise her was her very light blue hair. It was long and messy to say the least; however, she also wondered where she came from. The only other elleth with different hair color that was not natural was herself. She felt concerned when she heard a voice in her head.

" _This is Adeline from the human world. She was never a soul of this world, however, we saved her soul when she died there and created a body for her like we did yours. She has a role to play in the coming war._ "

"You must be kidding," she whispered and felt even more concerned now.

" _She has a strong connection with the element of water, which explains her hair color. She will also be able to shift in the water to a creature belonging to it._ "

"For example a mermaid?" she asked, out of curiosity.

" _If she so wishes. Help her gain her strength when she awakens, but then send her to Rivendell. Lord Elrond should know she's coming._ "

"Is that all?" No answer. "Great," she muttered.

Carefully she tried to summon some of the wind to help her lift up Adeline. _Why not give her an elven name?_ she briefly wondered and started walking back. By the gates, the guards looked at her with curiosity and she hurriedly explained that she had found her in the woods. She barely seemed to breathe so she was quick to get to the healing wing. The wind lowered Adeline on a bed and then left her control. Concerned she watched as the healer fussed a bit, until she ushered her outside.

Calithilel ran to Thranduil with worry written clearly on her face, she briefly told him about the elleth from her previous world and he seemed more concerned when she told him about the next war to come, and that the elleth would have a role to play.

"You must go back to her then, and explain what has happened, she will with no doubt feel confused when she wakes up."

"I know," she answered, then kissed him softly on the cheek and left to sit by Adeline's side.

It took three days before the elleth awakened. Calithilel had taken a small nap in the chair beside the bed when she suddenly heard movement beside her. She opened her eyes and looked straight into purple irises. They both blinked. For a moment it seemed like Adeline was about to scream bloody murder so she held her hands up in surrender. "Please don't scream," she said with a calm voice.

Adeline took a deep breath.

* * *

Where the hell was she? One moment she remembered a car coming straight towards hers, and then everything went black. The next she was aware of was a lot of sounds. She also took notice that she could smell much better. What in the world had happened? She opened her eyes.

The woman in front of her was unbelievably beautiful. She had the strangest purple hair, but her pointed ears stood the mostly out, ok, that was not true. Her eyes did. They were the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen and she almost felt herself wanting those eyes. Then realization dawned. She was not in a normal hospital. The woman in front of her did not seem human. And her sight was much clearer than before.

The woman held her hands up. "Please don't scream," she said, reading her thoughts, or so she felt.

Adeline took a deep breath. "Where am I?" she then asked. Shocked she clamped a hand over her mouth. That was _not_ her voice. Or it was, just more beautiful, if that made sense.

"You are currently in the Greenwood. Well, Thranduil's realm. My name is Calithilel and-"

"Wait! Thranduil… as in he is an elf, and he's king? Right?"

"You've seen the Hobbit, I assume." Calithilel tilted her head.

"You must be joking with me!"

"I assure you I am not. The Vala saved you when you died in your world. They created this body for you and saved your soul. You have been chosen," she explained calmly.

Adeline did not know what to think. How old was this elleth? Certainly older than her. Yet she seemed to know a lot about her own world. Even the Hobbit movie. "So… I'm in a movie?" she asked slowly.

Calithilel literally face palmed. "No. You have come to the period after the Hobbit, but before The Lord of The Rings."

"How do you even know this?" she then asked, highly suspicious.

"I was once a resident in your world as well. Although my soul originally belonged to this one. So the Vala brought be back here when I died there, kind of like with you. They even gifted you."

"Er, what do you mean by _gifted_?"

Calithilel seemed to lift her lip up into a half-smile. Her eyes sparkled. "Your hair is light blue, you have not noticed it yet because I have braided it so it is out of your way. Because you got the gift of water, that element took a hold in your hair; it was sort of the same with me." She giggled.

Adeline felt like her eyes were bugging out. "It's _blue_?!"

"What was your human irises like?" she asked, avoiding her outburst.

"Blue, why, are they like yours?" she lifted a brow.

"No, they are purple."

 _Of all the colors…_ she started to think.

It was hard to grasp, especially the situation she was in. Why in the world would she be sent to Middle Earth? Of all the places? It was just out of fanfiction, or so she thought. With an afterthought, she briefly wondered if she would be paired up with someone. She shook her head. _Oh my god… This is not the right time to be thinking about this!_

"I know this is _a lot_ to take in. I will send in Taenil with some food. We can talk more tomorrow." Calithilel stood to leave.

"Wait, who _are_ you?" Adeline asked.

"I am Thranduil's mate."

 _I am Thranduil's mate._ The one short sentence seemed to ring in her head after Calithilel had left. How was she his mate? Because her soul had once come from here? Thranduil's wife? Legolas' mother. _Wonder if I'll meet Legolas around here_ , she briefly wondered. _Don't be such a stupid fangirl_ , she then corrected herself.

"Ok," she breathed. "I'm still 24 years old. I'm grown. I'm mature. I can handle this." _I cannot handle this_. "Maybe if I fall asleep I'll wake up in my own bed, right? Come on, what am I saying? I would have woken up ages ago." Her thoughts were more confusing than helpful. In a way she wanted to believe all of this, but at the same time, she could not. How? For how was this all possible? She had to admit she never believed in a god, she more liked the idea of a goddess, not that it was likely. She always liked to believe in magic. Magic. This was magic. So why could she not believe in it? Calithilel had explained that the Valar had saved her. So obviously some higher power existed. It was just all so strange.

Exhausted from all her thinking she quickly fell asleep.

Calithilel was true to her word. She came the next day and helped Adeline out of bed. She handed her clothing similar to the ones she wore, probably to make her feel comfortable.

"Where am I to stay?" she suddenly asked.

"Here. For now. When you are well and ready for travel, you will be escorted to Rivendell. Lord Elrond is awaiting you," Calithilel explained.

Adeline frowned. "Why can I not stay here?"

"You are needed in the future war, or so the Vala told me. You have to train. You have to get ready."

"What about you?" She lifted her eyebrows. Calithilel shrugged.

"I am to stay here. I will soon be queen of the Greenwood. My duty is here. To keep the forest healthy."

" _You_ keep the forest healthy?" She was so very curious and she knew it.

"It's part of my gift. It is my strongest gift. Yet the wind element would not let go of my hair." She giggled.

It was one of the last conversations she had with the future queen. She felt strong quickly. And though she never had ridden a horse in her entire life, it seemed to come naturally to her when she mounted her first horse. She did not need tutoring. So the next day she was set to leave for Rivendell.

Sitting on her horse she looked one last time at the purple haired woman. She looked at her with worried eyes. It did not help her own feelings. Who knew what would meet her out there? And she had zero experience. _Oh great…_ she thought and grimaced.

* * *

Calithilel watched Adeline leave. One day their paths would cross again, she was sure of it. But when, she could not know with certainty. She did not have many years to train and learn before the war came, which reminded her of her own duties to her kingdom. It was time she became queen and helped her own people. It was time.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**


	13. Chapter 13

**This story all in all is 41 154 words. This chap with about 1100 words. So here it is. The ending (for now). Thank you all who have followed this to the end. I know it has taken a year, but here we are. Thank you all for favs, follows and reviews. It has truly meant a lot to me.**

 **R &R! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Epilogue**.

She was queen. She was blessed with a wonderful mate and two beautiful children. Although Legolas could hardly count as a child. Their daughter was running around in a meadow. Her very light pink hair (a color mix of her and Thranduil) flowing behind her in the summer breeze. Her eyes were just like Thranduil's and she truly resembled the both of them. They had named her Elil. She had brought a lot of joy with her, even when appearing in such a difficult time. She truly appeared to be a star in their life. There was so much light within her. Adeline too was there with them. Sitting in the tree above them, reading, while Legolas chased his sister.

Now peace was over them and there had been one question bothering the most of them. Would the elves leave? She and Thranduil were both determined to stay, and many elves followed their example, especially since they did not truly hear the calling of the sea. The woods around them helped them as much.

Her mother was a different matter, she _had_ to leave, or so she had tried to stress several times. Celeborn was torn. In many ways he wanted to follow Galadriel, but at the same time he wanted to stay and keep watch over the remaining elves in Lórien. Not only that, he also wanted to stay close to his daughter. His bond to her stronger than ever. When Elil would be ready to rule, she would take over Lórien and then he could sail, or so he had said.

Legolas had heard the call of the sea, and he was more torn than the most of them. She felt that. Adeline saw it too and was more concerned. At least there were many elves choosing to stay.

A lot of changes would have to be made. The elves had to interact more with humans, so with trading as well if they wanted to maintain peace and not fall to history and then myth. Lord Elrond had agreed, even though he too was sailing. It was now up to his sons to keep an eye on Rivendell, for Arwen was to spend her life with Aragorn.

She sighed, she could not help it, and it no longer mattered to keep up her mask, for Thranduil could read her emotions clearly anyway. He simply looked at her with warmth and it brought a wave calm towards her.

Adeline jumped down and sat beside her while Elil came running up to them. "Why is grandmother leaving?" she asked. She had asked that question every day ever since she got to know.

"You know she has to," Calithilel said softly. "But one day we will meet her again."

Elil pouted and her eyes started to well up.

"Here comes the waterworks," Adeline announced and snickered.

However, Elil stopped herself and ran into Legolas' arms. "Come here little one," he said with a smile and hugged her.

Thranduil smiled and Calithilel's heart warmed even more. He seemed much more relaxed now that the war was over. There were not many orcs wandering the lands anymore, and the forest had healed completely. It was prospering. She could barely imagine living in her old world anymore, and she knew the same went for Adeline, though some of it had been harder for her, for she had had less time to get ready for her own quest.

She belonged in this world. Of course, there would always be a hint of evil, for no one was truly perfect, but it was up to them to make sure that peace lasted.

"Not to complain or anything, but does this mean we can move out into the forest?" Adeline suddenly asked.

"When we have built a proper house for us of the royal family," Thranduil said calm.

"You're actually serious," Adeline muttered.

"We are still the royal family here," Calithilel answered and giggled. "Thranduil would accept no less than a beautiful treehouse." She laughed.

"Don't call it a treehouse, you make it sound so small," Adeline teased.

This was what Calithilel had longed for, especially when it had seemed like the darkest, even when she knew that the Greenwood would pull through. However, there was a lot of changes that helped immensely with the outcome, and shortened their own battle. The only thing she regretted was the tiny struggle between herself and her mate that had been a little problematic. They had truly not seemed able to agree on much, especially when they had figured out that she was with child. In the end they had come through it together and managed, for they were truly meant for each other, and if they had not, only grief would have been the outcome for them both. That was at least not the case, thankfully. For they both were stubborn, but in the end they managed to see a different view on things. They understood each other even more.

She arose and went to sit beside Thranduil. He put one arm around her while they watched Legolas pull out a wooden sword towards Elil, and she answered with her own.

"Take this little sister!" Legolas said while laughing.

"Never!" Elil protested, making their small audience laugh.

"You sure got a handful with that one," Adeline commented.

"Just wait until you get one of your own," Thranduil said. Both he and Calithilel saw the other elleth pale and they laughed.

"After hearing what a pain it is to give birth, especially in this world, no thank you." Her face was all flustered.

"Never say never," Calithilel muttered with a small smile.

"It might just surprise you when you do not expect it," Thranduil agreed, just a bit louder.

Adeline's face seemed to become even redder. "I'll just disappear for a while," she answered and stood. Soon she disappeared between the trees.

Legolas stopped his game with Elil. "Where did Adeline go?" he asked, concerned.

"We might have scared her a little. No worries though, she'll be back soon," Calithilel answered.

They were right. Ready to return to the halls Adeline appeared, calm and with regained composure. Calithilel and Thranduil walked with Elil between them. Behind them Legolas and Adeline walked hand in hand.

The future would certainly have more surprises for them.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think ;)**

 **\- Moonlight Starlove**

 **...**

 **Thank you all for now. For the future if there is coming a sequel (I will not promise as of right now) it should be titled something along the lines of Calithilel and Adeline. It will ofc be Calithilel x Thranduil. But also Adeline (OC) x Legolas.**


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